Laboulbenia egens Speg.

Santamaria, Sergi & Pedersen, Jan, 2021, Laboulbeniomycetes (Fungi, Ascomycota) of Denmark, European Journal of Taxonomy 781, pp. 1-425 : 145

Laboulbenia egens Speg.

MB#560228

Fig. 30A

Anales de la Sociedad Científica Argentina 85 (3): 323 ( Spegazzini 1918). –

Type: “ Sobre las patas de pequeños Tachys ? indeterminados cazados debajo de macetas de flores en mi casa, Roma . Sept. 1913 ”; LPS. [ Italy]

Laboulbenia paupercula Speg. ( Spegazzini 1915b: 59) [MB#219455] (nomen praeoccupum), nec L. paupercula Thaxt. ( Thaxter 1891: 269) [MB#219368]

Diagnostic features

Cell I with a brownish shaded distal area, contrasting with the homogenously hyaline cell II. Septum IV–V vertical, ± straight, connected with septum III–IV. Cells IV and V similar in shape and size. Outer appendage not exceeding the perithecial apex, chiefly consisting of a crista-like structure formed by a few short branchlets arising from an isodiametric, trapezoidal, suprabasal cell (best seen in immature thalli). Basal cell of outer appendage protruding dorsally, showing a dark distal septum. Perithecium with a very convex ventral margin, with 1–3 swellings in its lower third. [Detailed descriptions: Majewski 1994b; Santamaria 1998]

Distribution and hosts

Reported on Col. Carabidae Tachyina of the genera Elaphropus Motschulsky, 1839 , Eotachys Jeannel, 1941 , Paratachys Casey, 1918 , Tachys , Tachyphanes Jeannel, 1946 , Tachyta Kirby, 1837 and Tachyura Motschulsky, 1862 , usually named Tachys in a broad sense. Exceptionally on Bembidion ( Majewski 1994b; Haelewaters et al. 2019b). In Europe: Czech Republic, France, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Romania, Spain ( Santamaria et al. 1991), Belgium ( De Kesel & Rammeloo 1992), United Kingdom (Weir 1996), Switzerland ( Hoess & Senn-Irlet 2009); Africa: Algeria, Cameroon, Canary Islands, Egypt, Madagascar ( Santamaria et al. 1991), Sierra Leone ( Rossi & Leonardi 2018); America: Guadalupe ( Santamaria et al. 1991), USA ( Haelewaters et al. 2019b); and Asia: Bali Island, Israel, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand ( Santamaria et al. 1991), Turkey ( Rossi 2016), and Cambodia ( Try et al. 2017).

Collections examined from Denmark

On Elaphropus parvulus (Dejean, 1831) (Col. Carabidae )

DENMARK – Lolland, Falster, Møn (LFM) • Rødbyhavn ; 54°39.569′ N, 11°21.958′ E; PF55; 7 May 2017; JP 400; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-122883 .

Remarks

First record from Denmark. The host species is rare in Denmark and only found at a few scattered localities.Out of the ca 100 examined individuals of the host only one infected specimen was found. The fungus should therefore be considered as very rare in Denmark. Laboulbenia egens is a well-distinguished species, although it has sometimes been confused by several authors with Laboulbenia tachyis Thaxt. in East Asian records ( Sugiyama 1973, 1978a; Lee et al. 1982; Lee & Sugiyama 1984; Sugiyama & Phanichapol 1984; Sugiyama & Majewski 1985b). Laboulbenia tachyis may be quickly distinguished from L. egens by the oblique septum IV–V which is not connected with septum III–IV ( Santamaria 1998). Majewski (1994b) mentioned the similarity of this species with L. pedicellata and even the existence of intermediate forms. Nevertheless, Laboulbenia egens is well-characterized by several features: (1) absence of preapical blackened spots on the perithecium, (2) conspicuous bulging protuberances in the lower third of the ventral side in perithecium, (3) cell II with parallel margins, (4) cell II distinctively hyaline relate to shaded cell I below, (5) diagonal blackened septum separating the basal and suprabasal cells of outer appendage; as well as other characters that separate it from L. pedicellata if we compare them with the analogous: (1) preapical blackened spots of perithecium present, (2) no protuberances or if any, they are much less evident and located at the middle height of perithecium, (3) cell II ± constricted, (4) cell II variably tinged with brown, (5) blackened septum above the basal cell of outer appendage which is horizontal or almost so.

Figures

Fig. 30. Laboulbenia spp. A. L. egens Speg. Paired thalli, one mature at left and one immature at right. – B. L. elaphri Speg. Mature thallus. Scale bars: 50 µm. Photographs from slides ZMUC C-F-122883 (A), ZMUC C-F-123141 (B).