Piromyces polycephalus (Neocallimastigaceae), a new rumen fungus

Abstract:

A new anaerobic gut fungus was isolated from the rumen fluid of water buffalo. This fungus appears to be an undescribed species of Piromyces, possessing uniflagellate zoospores and monocentric thalli. It has a distinctive spherical to oval basal body, connected to the sporangia by minute spicules. The fungus strongly resembles Piromyces communis but differs by the basal body and multisporangiate sporangia. It is described as P. polycephalus because of its characters of sporangial development. The species of Piromyces are keyed out.

Keywords: ANAEROBIC RUMEN FUNGUS; MULTISPORANGIATE SPORANGIA; NEOCALLIMASTIGACEAE

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1127/0029-5035/2002/0075-0409