Hesperomyces virescens Thaxt.

Santamaria, Sergi & Pedersen, Jan, 2021, Laboulbeniomycetes (Fungi, Ascomycota) of Denmark, European Journal of Taxonomy 781, pp. 1-425 : 240-241

Hesperomyces virescens Thaxt.

MB#140369

Fig. 53C–D

Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 25: 264 ( Thaxter 1891). – Stigmatomyces virescens Thaxt. ( Thaxter 1894: 106) [MB#181575]. –

Type: “ On Chilocorus bivulnerus , California ”; FH. [ USA]

Hesperomyces hyperaspidis Thaxt. ( Thaxter 1931: 111) [MB#267531]

Diagnostic features

Thallus bright yellow. Primary appendage consisting of (3–)4 superposed cells, where the 3 rd and 4 th bear one and two antheridia respectively. Perithecial tip with two very short and narrow lower lobes, two elongated upper lobes and two prominent lips surrounding the ostiole. [Detailed descriptions: Weir & Beakes 1996; Santamaria 2003; De Kesel 2011]

Distribution and hosts

A very common and widespread species. Reported on no less than 30 species and 20 genera of ladybird species (Col. Coccinellidae ) from the five continents ( Haelewaters et al. 2017). Also reported from Denmark (see Table 1 ).

Collections examined from Denmark

On Adalia bipunctata (Linnaeus, 1758) (Col. Coccinellidae ) DENMARK – Nordøstsjaelland (NEZ) • Blågårds Plads, Nørrebro ; 55°41.183′ N, 12°33.424′ E; UB47; 8 Nov. 2007; T. Steenberg Dry0047; T. Steenberg det.; ZMUC C-F-124113 • Grøndalsparken, Vanløse ; 55°41.351′ N, 12°30.518′ E; UB47; May 2011; T. Steenberg Dry0043; T. Steenberg det.; ZMUC C-F-124109 • Grønningen, København K. ; 55°41.385′ N, 12°35.435′ E; UB47; 15 Jan. 2008; T. Steenberg Dry0044; T. Steenberg det.; ZMUC C-F-124110 • Kongens Have, København K. ; 55°41.107′ N, 12°34.766′ E; UB47; 10 Nov. 2007; T. Steenberg Dry0045; T. Steenberg det.; ZMUC C-F-124111 • Thorvaldsensvej, Frederiksberg ; 55°40.857′ N, 12°32.540′ E; UB47; 26 May 2009; T. Steenberg DrY0046; T. Steenberg det.; ZMUC C-F-124112 .

Remarks

All the Danish records of this species come from specimens kept in dry museum collections. Perhaps a collective species including at least other seven undescribed taxa which have been revealed by sequencing thalli from multiple host species ( Haelewaters et al. 2018a; Haelewaters & De Kesel 2020). According to Haelewaters & De Kesel (2020), the Danish samples collected on Adalia Mulsant, 1850 fall into the named Adalia -clade and should belong to some yet undescribed species separate from H. virescens , a species what is suggested by Haelewaters et al. (2018a) to be restricted to fungi found on Chilocorus Leach, 1815 , as originally described.

Figures

Fig. 53. Hesperomyces spp. A–B. H. coccinelloides (Thaxt.) Thaxt. Mature thalli showing labelled cells I, II, III, primary septum (a), and a spinous process from the original spore apex (sx). – C–D. H. virescens Thaxt. Mature thalli. In D, “sx” corresponds to the spiny original spore apex. Scale bars: 50 µm. Photographs from slides ZMUC C-F-123662 (A–B), ZMUC C-F-124113 (C), ZMUC C-F-124109 (D).