Botanical Studies (2008) 49: 45-48.

*

Corresponding author: E-mail: ho@tea.ntue.edu.tw.

INTRODUCTION

Syncephalis Tiegh. & G. Le Monn. was established

by Van Tieghem and Le Monnier (1873) for five species

with S. cordata Tiegh. & G. Le Monn. as the type species.

The genus was characterized by simple, straight or

recurved sporangiophores with basal rhizoids, cylindrical

merosporangia born on terminal vesicles, and merospores

released into droplets of fluid at maturity. Species of

Syncephalis are small, often inconspicuous, obligate

parasites of other fungi, mainly members of Mucorales

(Benjamin, 1959). Fifty-nine species of Syncephalis have

been described to date (Indoh, 1962; Zycha et al., 1969;

Gruhn and Petzold, 1991; Patil and Patil, 1994; Kirk et al.,

2001; Ho and Benny, 2007). Nine species have been found

in Taiwan, including two new species (Ho, 2000, 2001,

2002, 2003; Ho and Benny, 2007). During an investigation

of merosporangiferous Zygomycetes in Taiwan, an

additional new species of Syncephalis was discovered and

is described here.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Species of Syncephalis were isolated from soil in

Taiwan. Soil samples were collected by the roadsides

or in the forests and brought to the laboratory in plastic

bags. Soil particles (ca. 2-3 milligrams) were placed on

the surface of BBL

TM

corn meal agar (Becton Dickinson

211132) plates. The plates were left on a bench at room

temperature, incubated for nearly one week, and then

observed using a dissecting microscope. Sporangiophores

of Syncephalis were transferred, by cutting a small block

of agar with the parasite along with its host, to a fresh

corn meal agar plate and incubated as mentioned above.

After one week, the spores from regenerated, mature

merosporangia of Syncephalis were transferred onto new

corn meal agar plates using a sterilized needle. A day after

inoculation of Syncephalis propagules, the spores of the

mucoraceous host were also inoculated in the vicinity of

the parasite. After 4-7 days, the host was found parasitized

by the mycoparasite. Slides were prepared from 10-day-

old cultures by using tap water or lactic acid-cotton blue

(cotton blue, 0.5 g; 90% lactic acid, 1L) as mounting

medium (Kurihara et al., 2000). They were observed and

photographed using a Leica MPS32 light microscope

(LM). For scanning electron microscopy, pertinent

specimens were selected using a dissecting microscope,

fixed for 1 h with 2.5% glutaraldehyde in distilled water,

and then post-fixed for 1 h with 1% osmium tetraoxide

in distilled water. The specimens were washed with

distilled water and dehydrated in a graded acetone series.

Specimens were dried in a critical point dryer, coated with

gold, and observed with a Hitachi S-520 scanning electron

microscope (SEM) at 20 KV.

TAXONOMY

Syncephalis obliqua H. M. Ho et Benny, sp. nov.

Figures 1A-F, 2 A-D

Sporangiophorae non ramosae, 630-775 £gm longae,

14-17 £gm diametre ad basem sporangiophorae ad 8-9 £gm

diametre infra vesiculam terminalom; vesiculae terminales

60-65 £gm altae, 45-48 £gm diametre. Merosporangia

plurima, non ramosa, solum una parte vesiculae sporan-

giophorae lata, 6 sporarum capacia. Sporae cylindricus,

(5-)5.5-6(-6.5) £gm longae, 2.5-3 £gm diametre. Zygosporae

non visae. Parasitus in Mucor. (Typus: TNM F20624).

Vegetative hyphae hyaline, aerial hyphae growing

densely on the host, 1-2 £gm wide; sporangiophores

simple, occasionly branching, arising from the host

hyphae or from the media, growing vigorously, hyaline

when young, standing singly, 14-17 £gm wide at the

broadest part near the base, tapering gradually to the

A new species of Syncephalis from Taiwan

Hsiao-Man HO

1,3

and Gerald L. BENNY

2

1

Department of Science Education, National Taipei University of Education, Taipei 106, Taiwan, ROC

2

Department of Plant Pathology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611-0680, USA

(Received June 4, 2007; Accepted August 8, 2007)

ABSTRACT.

A new species of Syncephalis from Taiwan, isolated from soil is described and illustrated.

Syncephalis obliqua is distinguished from other species by the asymmetrical placement of the merosporangia

on the fertile vesicle and shorter cylindrical spores. A discussion comparing this new species with other taxa is

included.

Keywords: Syncephalis obliqua; Taiwan; Zygomycetes.

MICROBIOLOgY

46

Botanical Studies, Vol. 49, 2008

Figure 1. Syncephalis obliqua (TNM F20624). A, B, D, LM, DIC; C, E, F, SEM. A, Nearly mature sporangiophore with the vesicle

bearing young merosporangia. Bar = 100 £gm; B, Branching rhizoids. Bar = 20 £gm; C, Upper portion of a sporangiophore showing

vesicle bearing mature merosporangia. Bar = 50 £gm; D, Upper portion of a sporangiophore with vesicle bearing merosporangia prior

to spore formation, Bar = 20 £gm; E, Vesicle with persistent merosporangial bases after spores detached. Bar = 10 £gm; F, A vesicle with

spores. Bar = 5 £gm.

HO and BENNY ¡X A new species of

Syncephalis

47

narrowest portion 8-9 £gm wide below the vesicle, 630-775

£gm long; rhizoids developing well, branching, primary

rhizoids horizontal, producing branches once or twice,

septated; vesicles oval, 60-65 £gm high, 45-48 £gm wide,

bearing numerous merosporangia on upper two-thirds

surface obliquely, the bare portion still with stertile

merosporangial primordia; merosporangia unbranched,

cylindrical, containing 6 spores, detached when mature

leaving distinct merosporangial bases on vesicle surface;

merospores cylindrical with two rounded ends, smooth,

hyaline, (5-)5.5-6(-6.5) ¡Ñ 2.5-3 £gm in size; zygospores not

observed.

Holotype. TAIWAN. ILan County, Fu-shan Research

Station, parasitizing Mucor sp. growing on soil collected

and isolated Dec. 2003 by H.-M. Ho, S121102, dry culture

deposited in the National Museum of Natural Science,

Taichung, Taiwan (TNM F20624). A living culture

deposited in Food Industry Research and Development

Institute (BCRC 34165).

Other isolates examined. PLS0203, Taiwan, Taipei

County, Shrding Shiang, Wenshan Botanical Garden, from

soil, collected by H.-M. Ho, isolated by S.-C. Chuang,

Oct. 2006; MLS1302, Taiwan, Miaoli County, Gongguan

Shiang, from soil, collected by H.-M, Ho, isolated by S.-C.

Chuang, Nov. 2006; LHZ3402, Taiwan, Nantou County,

Lienhuachin Research Center, from soil, collected by

H.-M. Ho, isolated by S.-C. Chuang, Dec. 2006.

Etymology. Obliquus (L.); referring to the oblique

placement of merosporangia on the fertile vesicle.

Notes. The distinct feature of S. obliqua is the

placement of the merosporangia on the vesicle. In

this genus, only two described species are similar: S.

plumigaleata Embree and S. fuscata Indoh (Indoh, 1962;

Embree, 1965). Syncephalis plumigaleata (Embree, 1965)

differs in having larger, oval spores (6.5-10 ¡Ñ 3.5-4.5 £gm)

and in producing minutely punctate ornamentation on

the spore surface. S. fuscata (Indoh, 1962), by contrast,

forms 4 to 6 cylindrical spores with somewhat rounded

ends, which are smaller (6-7.5 ¡Ñ 3 £gm), with a refractive

body at the two ends of each spore ornamented with a

few scattered, irregular thickenings. Indoh (1962) only

observed and illustrated merosporangial formation on the

upper 50% of the fertile vesicle. Later, however, Kuzuha

(1973) reported that merosporangial formation also could

occur unilaterally and that the spores were cylindrical

to oval, smooth-walled, and longer than originally cited

(3.5-9.5 ¡Ñ 2-3.5 £gm). The characteristics that clearly

differentiate S. fuscata and S. obliqua are the shape,

ornamentation, and size of the spores. On this basis S.

obliqua is distinct from S. fuscata sensu Kuzuha (1973)

and is described as new.

Acknowledgements. This study was supported by a grant

from the National Science Council, Executive Yuan, ROC.

(NSC-91-2621-B-152-001).

LITERATURE CITED

Benjamin, R.K. 1959. The merosporangiferous Mucorales. Aliso

4: 321-433.

Embree, R.W. 1965. A new species of Syncephalis (Mucorales).

Am. J. Bot. 52: 737-741.

Gruhn, U. and H. Petzold. 1991. Two new species of Syncephalis

(Zoopagales, P iptocephalidaceae). Can. J. Microbiol. 37:

355-360.

Ho, H.-M. 2000. Notes on Zygomycetes of Taiwan (I). Fung.

Sci. 15: 65-68.

Ho, H.-M. 2001.The merosporangiferous fungi from Taiwan (I):

Two new records of Syncephalis. Taiwania 46: 318-324.

Ho, H.-M. 2002. The merosporangiferous fungi from Taiwan

(II): Two new records of Syncephalis. Taiwania 47: 37-41.

Ho, H.-M. 2003. The merosporangiferous fungi from Taiwan

(III): Three new records of Piptocephalidaceae (Zoopagales,

Zygomycetes). Taiwania 48: 53-59.

Ho, H.-M. and G.L. Benny. 2007. Two new species from Taiwan,

with a key to the Syncephalis species found in Taiwan. Bot.

Stud. 48: 319-324.

Indoh, H. 1962. Studies on Japanese Mucorales I. On the genus

Figure 2. Syncephalis obliqua (TNM F2062 4). A, Uppe r

portion of a sporangiophore showing vesicle bearing nearly

mature merosporangia. Bar = 10 £gm; B, Young mrosporangia

on a ves icl e. Bar = 10 £gm ; C, S pore s. Bar = 10 £gm; D, A

sporangiphore with merosporangia. Bar = 50 £gm.

48

Botanical Studies, Vol. 49, 2008

Syncephalis. Science Reports of the Tokyo Kyoiku Daigaku,

Section B, no. 160 11: 1-26.

Kirk, P.M., P.F. Cannon, J.C. David, and J.A. Stalpers. (eds.).

2001. Dictionary of the fungi. 9

th

ed. CABI International,

Wallingford, United Kingdom, 655 pp.

Kurihara, Y., S. Tokumasu, and C-Y. Chien. 2000. Coemansia

furcata sp. nov. and its distribution in Japan and Taiwan.

Mycoscience 41: 579-583.

Kuzuha, S. 1973. Notes on Japanese Syncephalis. Trans. Mycol.

Soc. Japan 14: 237-245.

Patil, M.S. and B.J. Patil. 1994. Studies in Mucorales:

Piptocephalidaceae. Indian Phytopathol. 47: 217-225.

Van Tieghem, P. and G. Le Monnier. 1873. Recherches sur les

Mucorinees. Ann. Sci. Nat., Bot. Ser. V. 17: 261-399.

Zycha, H., R. Siepmann, and G. Linnemann. 1969. Mucorales

e ine Bes chre ibun g all er Gat tunge n und Art en di es er

Pilzgruppe. Verlag von J. Cramer, Lehre, Germany. 355 pp.