NAME Reduviasporonites catenulatus
AGE Late Permian.   AGE span: 260.4...251 mya
K&J CLASSIFICATION (2000) Fungi imperfecti, Phragmosporae.
FIGURE(S)
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Pl.10fig.16.jpg
FIGURE REFERENCE Wilson LR. 1962. A Permian fungus spore type from the Flowerpot Formation of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Geology Notes, v. 22, p. 91-96.
SPECIES, AUTHORITY R. catenulatus Wilson 1962, p. 94, pl. 1, figs. 1, 4.
LOCATION North bank of Salt Fork of the Red River, Greer County, Oklahoma, USA.
ORIG DESCRIPTION* Description as for the genus; consisting of a variable number of spores in moniliform chains, largest number observed 10; diameter of spores 13-23 µm; normally subspherical, flattened specimens have compression folds and cracks. Holotype, an eight-spore chain; length of chain 118.2 µm, length of spores 15.76-23 µm, width of spores 15.76-21.67 µm.
COMMENTS* Several hundred specimens have been observed during an examination of 150 micro-scope-slide preparations of the Flowerpot Shale. This abundance may indicate that the fungus was of a marine type and thrived in the shallow waters of the sea; however, no account of modern marine fungus comparable to Reduviasporonites catenulatus has been found during a search of the literature. There are numerous soil-inhabiting fungi to which the fossils bear some resemblance. The fossils of Reduviasporonites resemble somewhat the conidiospores of some species in the living genera Aspergillus, Penicillium, Memnoniella, Lacellina, Hormodendrum, Monilia, Oospora and Torula, but are markedly different in size and in details of the spore walls. These fungi produce an abundance of spores that are widely disseminated by wind and some are known to occur in marine deposits. Because the Flowerpot Shale fungus spores occur associated with pteridophyte spores and gymnosperm pollen, from upland and lowland plant communities, it might be inferred that Reduviasporonites was a terrestrial fungus species, but, until more evidence is found, this is only an assumption.

The specific name is derived from the Latin catena (chain) and is given in reference to the occurrence of the spores in chain-like units.
PUBLICATION REFERENCE Wilson LR. 1962. A Permian fungus spore type from the Flowerpot Formation of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Geology Notes, v. 22, p. 91-96.
K&J REMARKS
TYPE
ALL NAMES (Including synonyms) Reduviasporonites catenulatus
SERIAL NUMBER 1516
PUBLIC COMMENTS
 *For source, see Publication Reference.