NAME Anatolinites alternarioides
AGE Early to Middle Miocene.   AGE span: 23.03...11.608 mya
K&J CLASSIFICATION (2000) Fungi Imperfecti, Phragmosporae.
FIGURE(S)
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Pl.9fig.31.jpg
FIGURE REFERENCE Ramanujam CGK, Rao KP. 1978. Fungal spores from the Neogene strata of Kerala in South India; Proceedings of the IV International Palynological Conference, Lucknow, 1976-77, v. 1, p. 291-304.
SPECIES, AUTHORITY A. alternarioides Elsik, Ediger & Bati 1990, p. 94.
LOCATION Quilon and Warkalli beds of Kerala State along the west coast of South India.
ORIG DESCRIPTION* (Ramanujam & Rao) Spores melanin-colored, diporate, 3-celled, slightly curved, 35-50 x 15-20 µm, basal cell smaller, apical cell larger. A single pore at each end of spore along its long axis. Spore wall 1 µm thick, scabrate. EMENDED DESCRIPTION (Elsik, Ediger & Bati): Diporate, tricellate, scabrate fungal spores 15- 20 x 35-50 µm. Both pores appear to be simple; the distal pore can have a slight annulus; both pores are ca. 2 µm. The spore outline is narrowly obovate, taking the smallest cell as the proximal end of the spore. The spore axis is straight, or nearly so; folding of the spore wall during diagenesis can impart a slight curve to the axis. The spore wall has a brown pigment and is thicker, ca. 1 µm, over the distal cell, thinning to ca. 0.25 µm over the proximal cell. The scabrate sculpture is relatively coarse; a vague ruguloid to reticuloid pattern apparently is discernible.
COMMENTS* (Elsik, Ediger & Bati): Anatolinites alternarioides is the farthest from the norm for other morphotypes in the form genus. Quilonia Jain & Gupta 1970 is somewhat similar, but that genus generally has more than four cells, and one of the pores is a compound pore. Anatolinites alternarioides is unique in its narrowly obovate outline. Anatolinites alaskaensis approaches this morphology, but its outline is indented at the middle septum. A case can be made for this species being a fossil Alternaria. It is most distinct from the other species of Anatolinites. Derivation of name: for its similarity to extant Alternaria.
PUBLICATION REFERENCE Ramanujam CGK, Rao KP. 1978. Fungal spores from the Neogene strata of Kerala in South India; Proceedings of the IV International Palynological Conference, Lucknow, 1976-77, v. 1, p. 291-304.

Elsik WC, Ediger VS, Bati Z. 1990. Fossil fungal spores: Anatolinites nov. gen.; Palynology, v. 14, p. 91-103.
K&J REMARKS This species appears to resemble in several respects the spore illustrated as Sporodesmium henryense Dilcher 1965.
TYPE Diporicellaesporites sp. Ramanujam & Rao 1978, p. 297, pl. 2, fig. 26 (preserved in collection of Ramanujam). Technically the publication of the name A. alternarioides may not have been valid in 1990; Kalgutkar and Jansonius (2000) cite the information on where the holotype is stored (ICBN, Art. 37.5).
ALL NAMES (Including synonyms) Diporicellaesporites sp. Ramanujam & Rao 1978, p. 297, pl. 2, fig. 26 (preserved in collection of Ramanujam). ; Anatolinites alternarioides
SERIAL NUMBER 20
PUBLIC COMMENTS
 *For source, see Publication Reference.