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Can. J. Bot. 76: 1584–1588 (1998) © 1998 NRC Canada
1584
Two new hyphomycetes from rainforests of
Cuba
R.F. Castañeda Ruíz and J. Guarro
Abstract: Two new dematiaceous hyphomycetes, Arachnophora hughesii R.F. Castañeda et Guarro found on decaying pods
of Samanea samans and Camposporidium hughesii R.F. Castañeda et Guarro found on decaying bark submerged in stream,
both in a tropical rainforest are described and illustrated. The former is distinguished by staurosporous conidia composed of a
obconical, pale olivaceous, fimbriate basal cell, 1–2 subdoliiform, hemisphaerical to irregular, olivaceous central cells, and 2–5
tapered, horn-like or conical, 0–1 septate, pale, olivaceous arms. A Selenosporella-like synanamorph is present at the apex of
the arms. Conidia fusiform to cylindrical, 10–15 euseptate, brown, verrucose, with several filiform, hyaline, branched or
unbranched cellular appendages that arise from the last two subapical cells at right angles to the axis of the conidium
characterized the latter. Notes on closely related species are given.
Key words: Arachnophora hughesii, Camposporidium hughesii, hyphomycetes, mitosporic fungi, Cuba.
Résumé : Les auteurs décrivent et illustrent deux nouvelles espèces d’hyphomycètes dématiés : l’Arachnophora hughesii
R.F. Castañeda et Guarro trouvé sur les gousses en décomposition du Samanea samans et le Camposporidium hughesii
R.F. Castañeda et Guarro sur des écorces submergées dans un ruisseau, tous deux dans la forêt tropicale ombrophile. Le
premier se distingue par des conidies staurosporées composées d’une cellule basale délicatement frangée, olive pâle et
obconique; 1–2 cellules centrales olivacées sub-doliiformes, hémisphériques à irrégulières; et 2–5 bras olivacés, en fuseau et en
forme de corne ou encore conique, munis de 0–1 septation. À l’apex des bras, on retrouve un synanamorphe ressemblant au
Selenosporella. Le second se caractérise par des conidies fusiformes à cylindriques, 10–15 euseptées, brunes, verruqueuses
avec plusieurs appendices cellulaires filiformes, hyalins, ramifiés ou non, lesquels prennent naissance sur les deux dernières
cellules sub-apicales, à angle droit par rapport à l’axe de la conidie. Des notes sur des espèces voisines sont donnés.
Mots clés : Arachnophora hughesii, Camposporidium hughesii, hyphomycètes, champignon mitosporique, Cuba.
[Traduit par la rédaction]
The present study deals with two new dematiaceous hypho-
mycetes clearly related to the genera Arachnophora Hen-
nebert (1963) and Camposporidium Nawawi & Kuthubutheen
(1988). They appear to be new to science and have been
selected from over 50 species collected during a mycological
survey in the rainforests of Escambray Mountains in the Cien-
fuegos Province, Cuba. The genus Arachnophora is character-
ized by monoblastic, terminal, integrated, percurrently
proliferating conidiogenous cells and staurosporous, solitary,
pigmented, acrogenous conidia, with usually two central cells
in the axis and several radial, recurved or straight, conical to
dome-shape arms that arise from the central cells. A Seleno-
sporella-like synanamorph is frequently observed at the tip of
the arms. The conidia secede rhexolytically, by the rupture of
the wall of the conidiogenous cell just below the conidium
base, originating a small frill, which remains attached at the
basal cell. A key to the six known species of Arachnophora
was provided by Castañeda et al. (1997). The genus Cam-
posporidium is characterized by monoblastic, integrated,
percurrently proliferating conidiogenous cells and solitary,
acrogenous, distoseptate or euseptate, pigmented conidia with
several hyaline, nonseptate, filiform, cellular appendages that
arise from the apical cell. The conidial secession is schizo-
lytic. These fungi are described herein.
Arachnophora hughesii R.F. Castañeda et Guarro, anam.
sp.nov. Figs. 1 and 3–7.
Ad fungos conidiales, hyphomycetes pertinens. Coloniae
in substrato naturali effusae, pilosae, brunneae. Mycelium
partim superficiale et partim in substratum immersum, ex
hyphis septatis, ramosis, laevibus, 1–2 m diam., brunneis
compositum. Conidiophora distincta, singula, non-ramosa,
erecta, recta vel flexuosa, 2–5-septata, brunnea ad basim,
dilute brunnea ad apicem, 55–220 × 4–8 m. Cellulae conid-
iogenae monoblasticae, terminales, singulares, repetiter per-
currentes, annellatae, pallide brunneae, in conidiophoris
incorporatae. Conidia staurosporia, solitaria, acrogena, sicca,
laevia, in universum 27–30(–37) × 17–24(–30) m, ex cellu-
lis 3 formarum; cellula basalis conico-truncata, basaliter fim-
briata, dilute olivacea, 6–10 × 6–8 m, 2.0–2.5 m ad basim;
1–2 cellulae centrales, tholiformes, subdoliiformes, hemi-
sphaericae usque irregulares, 8–12 × 8–13 m, olivaceae;
Received September 24, 1997.
R.F. Castañeda Ruíz. Instituto de Investigaciones en Agricultura
Tropical “Alejandro de Humboldt” (INIFAT), Santiago de Las
Vegas, Calle 1 Esq. 2, Ciudad de la Habana, Cuba.
J. Guarro.1 Unitat de Microbiologia, Facultat de Medicina i
Ciències de la Salut, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43201 Reus,
Spain.
1Author to whom all correspondence should be addressed.
e-mail: umb@fmcs.urv.es
Castañeda Ruíz and Guarro 1585
© 1998 NRC Canada
2–5-rami cornuti vel conici, 0–1 septatae, constricti ad septa,
5–17 × 5–8 m, cellulae ramo-basales inflatae, subtho-
liformes vel subhemisphaericae, dilute olivaceae, cellulae
ramo-apicales acutatae, conicae, hyalinae vel subhyalinae,
6–9 × 5–6 m. Synanamorpha constantia, ex cellulis ramo-
apicalibus producentibus, conidia blastica, fusiformia, unicel-
lularia, hyalina, 3–4 × 0.5–1.0 m, Selenosporella-similia.
Teleomorphosis ignota.
substratum: in leguminis putrescentibus Samaneae
samantis, sylva pluvialis, Pozo del Cura, Escambray, Cienfu-
egos, Cuba. Leg. R.F. Castañeda et J. Guarro, 27-I-1997.
holotypus: INIFAT C97/38, Santiago de Las Vegas, Cuba.
isotypus: MUCL 40584.
Conidial fungi, hyphomycetes. Colonies on the natural sub-
strate effuse, hairy, brown; mycelium both immersed and
superficial. Hyphae septate, pale brown branched, smooth,
1–2 m in diameter. Conidiophores macronematous, un-
branched, erect, straight or flexuous, two- to five-septate,
brown at the base, pale brown at the apex, 55–220 × 4–8 m.
Conidiogenous cells monoblastic, terminal, single, integrated,
extending percurrently and bearing several to many annella-
tions, pale brown. Conidia staurosporous, solitary, acroge-
nous, dry, smooth walled, 27–30(–37) × 17–24(–30) m,
having three parts; a basal cell that is obconical, truncate, with
a minute basal frill as a result of rhexolytic dehiscence, pale
olivaceous, 6–10 × 6–8 m, 2.0–2.5 m wide at the base; 1–2
central cells that are subdoliiform, hemisphaerical or irregular,
8–12 × 8–13 m, olivaceous; and 2–5 tapered, horn-like or
conical arms, 0–1-septate, constricted at the septum, 5–17 × 5–
8 m, the basal cell slightly inflated and pale olivaceous, sub-
doliiform to subhemisphaerical, 5–7 × 5–8 m, the apical cell
narrowly conical, pointed, colourless or almost so, 6–9 × 5–6
m. Synanamorph: the apical cell of each conidial arm pro-
duces at its apex blastic, fusiform, nonseptate, colourless
Fig. 1. Arachnophora hughesii INIFAT C97/38. Conidiophores and conidia. Scale bar = 20 m.
1586 Can. J. Bot. Vol. 76, 1998
© 1998 NRC Canada
conidia 3–4 × 0.5–1.0 m resembling those of Selenosporella.
Teleomorph: unknown.
substrate: On rotten pod of Samanea samans in undis-
turbed rainforest, Pozo del Cura, Escambray, Cienfuegos,
Cuba. Col. R.F. Castañeda et J. Guarro, 27-I-1997.
holotype: INIFAT C97/38, Santiago de Las Vegas, Cuba.
isotype: MUCL 40584
At present, six species of Arachnophora have been
accepted (Castañeda et al. 1997). They are Arachnophora
fagicola Hennebert (1963), Arachnophora excentrica (B. Sut-
ton) Hughes (1979), Arachnophora crassa Révay & Gönczöl
(1989), Arachnophora pulneyensis (Subram. & Bhat) R.F.
Castañeda (in Castañeda et al. 1996b), Arachnophora
uberisporoides R.F. Castañeda, W. Gams & Saikawa (1997),
and Arachnophora polyradiata (Mercado & R.F. Castañeda)
R.F. Castañeda & W. Gams (Castañeda et al. 1997). Arachno-
phora crassa and A. pulneyensis are similar to A. hughesii,
but A. crassa has conidia with overall dimensions of 16.0–
22.5 × 8.0–9.5 m and 5–7 arms with the basal cell subdolii-
form to oblong and midbrown, and the apical cell subacute to
dome-shaped; arms cells 9.0–14.5 × 5–6.5 m. The conidia
of A. pulneyensis have two central bodies with one or two
Fig. 2. Camposporidium hughesii INIFAT C97/61-1. Conidiophores and conidia. Scale bar = 20 m.
Castañeda Ruíz and Guarro 1587
© 1998 NRC Canada
Figs. 3–7. Arachnophora hughesii INIFAT C97/38. Figs. 3–5. Conidiophores with emerging conidia. Figs. 6 and 7. Conidia. Scale bar = 20 m
in Figs. 3–6 and 10 m in Fig. 7. Figs. 8–11. Camposporidium hughesii INIFAT C97/61-1. Figs. 8 and 9. Conidia. Fig. 10. Tip of a conidio-
genous cell with a conidium. Fig. 11. Tip of a conidium with appendages and verrucose wall. Scale bar = 10 m.
1588 Can. J. Bot. Vol. 76, 1998
© 1998 NRC Canada
dark brown cells, 16–24 × 6.5–8.0 m and 2–4 arms broader
at the base, obtuse at apex, pale brown below, subhyaline at
the tip, up to 14 m long and 3–5 m wide. Both species are
clearly differentiated from A. hughesii by conidial pigmenta-
tion and number, arrangement, and size of the arms.
Camposporidium hughesii R.F. Castañeda et Guarro, anam.
sp.nov. Figs. 2 and 8–11.
Ad fungos conidiales, hyphomycetes pertinens. Coloniae in
substrato naturali effusae, pilosae, brunneae. Mycelium partim
superficiale et partim in substrato immersum, ex hyphis septa-
tis, ramosis, laevibus, 1.0–1.5 m diam., brunneis composi-
tum. Conidiophora distincta, singula, non-ramosa, 0–2-
septata, erecta, recta vel flexuosa, laevia, brunnea vel pallide
brunnea, 15–30 × 5–6 m, interdum ad cellulas conidiogenas
reducta. Cellulae conidiogenae monoblasticae, terminales,
percurrentes vel determinatae, 10–12 × 3–4 m, dilute brun-
neae, in conidiophoris incorporatae. Conidia holoblastica,
fusiformia usque cylindrico-fusiformia, raro navicularia, trun-
cata ad basim, attenuata et appendiculata ad apicem et circa
apicem, (10–)12–15-septata, brunnea, verrucosa, sed laevia in
cellula basali, 70–90 × (6–)7–9 m (appendicibus exclusae),
solitaria, acrogena, sicca, multiappendiculata, schizolytica
sedescentia, cum 1 appendice apicali celluloso, filiformi,
hyalina, non-ramosa interdum ramosa, 50–150 × 1.0–1.5 m,
et 1–4 appendicibus subapicalibus cellulosis, filiformibus,
hyalinis, non-ramosis, 17–60 × 1.0–1.5 m praedita. Teleo-
morphosis ignota.
substratum: In cortice putrescenti submerso in rivulo, syl-
vae pluvialis, Pozo del Cura, Escambray, Cienfuegos, Cuba.
Leg. R.F. Castañeda et J. Guarro, 27-I-1997.
holotypus: INIFAT C97/61-1, Santiago de las Vegas,
Cuba.
isotypus: MUCL 40585
Conidial fungi, hyphomycetes. Colonies on natural sub-
strate effuse, hairy, brown. Mycelium both immersed and
superficial, composed of septate, brownish, smooth walled,
branched hyphae 1.0–1.5 m in diameter. Conidiophores
macronematous, simple, unbranched, 0–2-septate, erect,
straight or flexuous, smooth, brown to pale brown, 15–30 ×
5–6 m, sometimes reduced to conidiogenous cells. Conid-
iogenous cells monoblastic, terminal, percurrently proliferat-
ing or determinate, 10–12 × 3–4 m, pale brown, integrated.
Conidia holoblastic, fusiform, cylindrical–fusiform, rarely
navicular, truncate at the base, attenuated and appendiculate
at the apex, (10-)12- to 15-euseptate, brown, verrucose except
for basal cell, 70–90 × (6–)7–9 m (excluding the append-
ages), solitary, acrogenous, dry, usually with more than one
long, tubular appendage, seceding schizolytically. Apical
appendage like an extension of the conidium, cellular, fili-
form, colourless, nonseptate, unbranched or with a branch
near its base at right angles to its axis, subapical appendages
1–4, arising on the apical or penultimate cell of the conidium
at right angles to the axis of the conidium, cellular, filiform,
colourless, unbranched, nonseptate, 17–60 × 1.0–1.5 m.
Teleomorph unknown.
substrate: On rotten bark submerged in stream in undis-
turbed rainforest, Pozo del Cura, Escambray, Cienfuegos,
Cuba. Col. R.F. Castañeda and J. Guarro, 27-I-1997.
holotype: INIFAT C97/61-1, Santiago de Las Vegas,
Cuba.
isotype: MUCL 40585
The genus Camposporidium (Nawawi & Kuthubutheen,
1988) is characterized by having monoblastic, integrated, per-
currently proliferating conidiogenous cells and solitary, acro-
genous, septate, pigmented conidia with several hyaline,
nonseptate, filiform, cellular appendages that arise from the
apical cell. Two previously described species, Camposporid-
ium cristatum Nawawi & Kuthubutheen (1988) (the type spe-
cies) and Camposporidium ghindense (Bhat) R.F. Castañeda,
Guarro et Cano (1996a), clearly differ from C. hughesii.
Camposporidium cristatum has conidia that are cylindrical,
9–12-distoseptate, verruculose, olivaceous to olivaceous
brown, 75–94 × 9–10 m, each bearing on the apical cell 4–7
divergent, nonseptate, unbranched, colourless appendages, up
to 60 m long and 1.5 m wide. Camposporidium ghindense
has conidia that are broadly ellipsoidal, curved, 6–7-septate,
85–115 × 16.5–21.0 m, brown to dark brown, and smooth
walled, each bearing on its apical cell 3 divergent, dichoto-
mously branched, colourless, nonseptate appendages 5 m
wide.
Acknowledgements
We thank Prof. B. Kendrick for a critical review of the manu-
script. We are grateful to the Cuban Ministry of Agriculture
for facilities.
References
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