Pentaster cepaeophilus gen. et sp. nov. described from surface of empty shells of Cepaea hortensis

Abstract

Pentaster cepaeophilus gen. et sp. nov. (Pezizomycotina inc. sed.) is proposed for a fungus colonizing surface of empty shells of the land snail Cepaea hortensis. The genus is characterised by melanised, multiseptate staurosporous conidia with five arms seceding rhexolytically.

The conidia are unique in that two arms form a central axis and three arms stretch from its centre. The morphological similarity to Tripospermum and Tetraposporium is discussed.

Keywords

• anamorphic ascomycete
• Gastropoda
• pentaradiate conidia
• alder alluvial forest