These small (0.3-0.4 mm) orange perithecia grew on incubated rabitt dung for one month. They seem to be ostiolate because there is a crown of hyaline setae around the very inconspicuous, not protruding, neck. Perithecial walls are more o less glabrous. Asci clavate. Ascospores citriform, biporate with smooth walls.

According to GARCIA & al. (STUDIES IN MYCOLOGY 50: 63–68. 2004) the genus Sphaerodes currently comprise species characterized by non-ostiolate ascomata (if they are ostiolate they have a short neck surrounded by a crown of hyaline setae) and reticulate ascospores, umbonate at both ends. So only rest Melanospora as a good choice for my fungus. But I don't know a keyed species that matches with this collection.

Could you help me?

Thanks in advance

Michel Delpont, 18-02-2015 15:04

Re : Melanospora on incubated rabitt dung

Hello Enrique.

Good harvest! Your photos on the neck seems short and with this size can be spores can you look to M.fimbriata?

Michel.

Enrique Rubio, 18-02-2015 17:20

Re : Melanospora on incubated rabitt dung

Hi Michel

M. fimbriata is poorly described by Petch (Trans. Brit. Mycol. Soc.) with ELLIPSOID (sic) ascospores. And the somewhat platanoid, not really citriform ascospores drawn by Cannon & Hawksworth (pag. 126) together with the very small perithecia (40-50 microns in diam.) I think don't agree with my collection.

Thanks a lot