Crystallodon subgelatinosum
Crystallodon subgelatinosum (Bodman) Alvarenga & Gibertoni 2021, in Alvarenga & Gibertoni., Cryptogamie, Mycologie, 42(2), 17-24 (2021).
Diagnosis: Basidiomata-Annual, resupinate, effused, closely adnate, later fusing with adjoining basidiomata, gelatinous when fresh, crustaceous when dried. Margin adnate, fimbriate, paler than hymenial surface (5C4). Hymenial surface gelatinized when fresh, light brown (5D5), densely covered by sharp-pointed sterile spines formed by hyphae enveloped by often apically branched crystals, spines 75-355 × 35-40 μm [50-80 μm, notes by Viacheslav Spirin about the type specimen (pers. com.)], 5-6 per mm. Hyphal structure monomitic, hyphae clamped. Subiculum-Not clearly differentiable, subhymenium with hyphae hyaline, thin-walled, 1-2.5 μm, clamped. Cystidia-Fusiform, cylindrical to often sinuous, 45-50 × 4-7 μm, some with refractive content. Hyphidia-Abundant in hymenium, hyaline, thin-walled, 0.5-1 μm at apex. Fertile hyphae 1-3 μm, tortuous, forming 2-4 basidia at the apex. Basidia-Ellipsoid-ovoid, 4-celled, 10.7-18.6 × 4.8-8.2 μm [15-20 × 10-12 μm in the original description by Bodman (1952);(14.2-)15-19.8 (-22) × (8-) 8.5-14.2(-16) μm by V. Spirin (pers. com.)]. Basidiospores-Cylindrical to broadly cylindrical, slightly curved, (8-) 8.0-11.7 (-12) × (3.7-) 4-6.1 (-6.6) μm (n = 24/1), L =10.4, W =5.21, Q’ = (2.4-) 1.64-2.65, Q =2.26, with oil droplets in the cytoplasm [(9-)10-13(-15) × (4.5-)5-6(-7.5) μm in the original description by Bodman (1952); 10-13.9 × 5-6 μm by V. Spirin (pers. com.)].
Index Fungorum Number: IF832485
Notes: Crystallodon subgelatinosum comb. nov. can be easily recognized by the hyphal pegs, formed by few subicular hyphae densely covered with angular crystals, and by the dark brown hymenophore. The presence of hyphal pegs covered by crystals may occur in different genera of Auriculariales (e.g. Adustochaete, Eichleriella) (Malysheva & Spirin 2017; Alvarenga et al. 2019); however, such hyphal pegs are commonly formed by thick-walled hyphae from the subiculum, and thus are different from those of Crystallodon Alvarenga gen. nov. Crystallodon subgelatinosum comb. nov. was first described by Bodman (1952) as Heterochaete subgelatinosa, based on specimens from Panama, this being the only record of the species until now. Basidia and basidiospores from the Brazilian collections are slightly smaller than those from the original description (Bodman 1952) and the notes provided by V. Spirin (pers. com.), and spines are narrower than those observed by V. Spirin (pers. com.); therefore, these collections may represent a different species. However, we prefer to consider these differences as due to intraspecific variation until additional material has been collected from the type locality, and morphologically and genetically analyses for a better distinction and delimitation of the taxon.
Figure 1. Phylogenetic reconstruction using ITS + 28S rDNA topology from BI analysis showing the lineages of Auriculariales. All sequences generated in this study are indicated in bold. The voucher or GenBank accession number and country, when available, are given for each specimen. Support values (ML/BI) are indicated above the branches. Scale bar shows the number of expected changes per site.
Figure 2. Crystallodon subgelatinosum (Bodman) Alvarenga & Gibertoni, comb. nov. (URM 93444): A, basidiomata; B, fresh hymenophore (URM 93443); C, dry hymenophore (URM 93444); D, crystal agglomeration; E, basidia (black arrow), cystidia (red arrow), hyphidia (grey arrows); F, basidiospores. Scale bars:A, 2 cm; B, 1 cm; C, 10 mm; D, 50 μm; E, F, 10 μm.
References:
Alvarenga, R. L. M., & Gibertoni, T. B. (2021). Crystallodon Alvarenga gen. nov., a new genus of the Auriculariales from the Neotropics. Cryptogamie, Mycologie, 42(2), 17-24.
Bodman, S. M. C. (1950). A taxonomic study of the genus Heterochaete. Lloydia 15,193-233.
Malysheva, V., Spirin, V., Miettinen, O., Motato-Vásquez, V., Hernawati, Seelan, J. S. S., & Larsson, K. H. (2018). Revision of Protohydnum (Auriculariales, Basidiomycota). Mycological Progress, 17, 805-814.
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