Orphella coronata Leger & Gauthier, 1931.

Valle, Laia Guardia & Stoianova, Desislava, 2020, First record of Harpellales, Orphellales (Kickxellomycotina) and Amoebidiales (Mesomycetozoea) from Bulgaria, including a new species of Glotzia, MycoKeys 67, pp. 55-80 : 55

Orphella coronata Leger & Gauthier, 1931. Figs 22 , 23

Specimens examined.

Site 10: slide BUL-10-4 (zygo.)

Notes.

Collections were made from the hindgut of Protonemura montana Kimmins nymphs, with a low infestation rate (2%). Orphella coronata has been reported from diverse localities in Europe, (e.g. France ( Léger and Gauthier 1931, 1932), Norway ( White and Lichtwardt 2004), Spain ( Valle and Santamaria 2005), Portugal ( Valle 2013a) and Italy ( Valle et al. 2013)). Orphella coronata seems to be the rarest species of the genus in the Bulgarian streams surveyed, although many potential hosts were dissected from the Struma River. Fortunately, the only Protonemura infested specimen was carrying various mature thalli of O. coronata , so that we could observe trichospores and the typical heterothallically-formed helicoidal zygospores typical for the species, these being very important to discern and identify possible cryptic species ( Valle and Santamaria 2005, Valle et al. 2014, White et al. 2018). Bulgarian specimens show the typical thallus with a bifurcate basal cell and allantoid trichospores (Fig. 22 ), measuring 36-41 × 5.5-6.5 µm in our collections, slightly smaller than previously reported (35-48 × 6-7.5 µm according to Valle & Santamaria 2004). Terminal cell measures 22-25 × 3-3.5 µm. Zygospores (Fig. 23 ) in our collections measure 26-32 × 6-7 µm, also somewhat smaller than those reported in the description of the zygospores (30-35 × 5-7 µm according to Valle & Santamaria 2004), but likely attributable to intraspecific variation; in fact, just a couple of thalli were found producing sexual spores in our collections and about 5 producing trichospores.

Figures

Figures 21 - 25. Various species of Orphellales. 21 Orphella catalaunica from Leuctridae nymphs, trichospores and accompanying cells 22, 23 Orphella coronata from Nemouridae nymphs 22 allantoid trichospores and accompanying cells 23 zygospores produced homothallically 24, 25 Orphella helicospora from Leuctridae nymphs: 24 homothallical zygospores and accompanying cells 25 basal cell and holdfast. Scale bars: 25 μm in all figures.