NAME Palaeomycites disodylis
AGE Miocene.   AGE span: 23.03...5.332 mya
K&J CLASSIFICATION (2000) Chytridiomycetes, Chytridiales; or: Zygomycetes, Endogonales; or: Oomycetes, Peronosporales.
FIGURE(S)
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Pl.20fig.4.jpg
FIGURE REFERENCE Baccarini P. 1900. Sopra alcuni microrganismi del disodile di Melilli: Bollettino della Sedute della Accademia Gioenia di Scienze Natura Catania, Serie 1, Fascicule 64, p. 3-7.
SPECIES, AUTHORITY P. disodylis (Baccarini) Kalgutkar & Jansonius 2000
LOCATION Italy.
ORIG DESCRIPTION* "The mycelium of this genus forms extensive floccules at the surface of the aforementioned lamina [i.e. of the Melilli paper coal]. Neither a boiling solution of potash, nor of caustic soda is able to isolate any of the very resistant fragments. The filaments of these mycelia are crooked and winding; the serrations, the common varicosities and the joints, which appear with a certain regularity over long intervals, demonstrate in my opinion, that we are dealing with an endophyte mycelium which, as it keeps growing, adapts itself to the intercellular meatuses of the host plant. It seems that these characteristics can not be satisfactorily explained otherwise. Moreover, the lack of transverse septa in the mycelium, and the shape and arrangement of the fructifications, show clearly, that we are dealing with a form very similar to the present-day genus Pythium, which genus biologically and morphologically takes an intermediate position between the Peronosporei and the Saprolegnei. Probably these ponds were inhabited by a certain number of aquatic plants infected by this parasite. Their leaves fell to the bottom on the Palmella [sic] stratum or mass, there to rot and to leave, as witness of their existence, only the parasite. This fact is not surprising if one recalls that a simple process of obtaining some splendid mycelium preparations consists of slowly decaying fungus-infected leaves under water, or disintegrating the tissues by boiling them in a solution. In either case, the parasite mycelium solely is resistant, and can thus be isolated.

However this may be, it is beyond question that this is the first Phycomycete known in the fossil state, and I propose to call it Pythium Disodylis." [Jansonius & Hills (1978), card no. 3497.]
COMMENTS*
PUBLICATION REFERENCE Baccarini P. 1900. Sopra alcuni microrganismi del disodile di Melilli: Bollettino della Sedute della Accademia Gioenia di Scienze Natura Catania, Serie 1, Fascicule 64, p. 3-7.
K&J REMARKS See remarks from Kalgutkar and Jansonius (2000) under Pythites disodilis. Palaeomycites in their opinion is the correct name for fossil fungi of this type.
TYPE
ALL NAMES (Including synonyms) Pythium disodylis Baccarini 1900, p. 6 (no holotype designated).; Palaeomycites disodylis
SERIAL NUMBER 1212
PUBLIC COMMENTS
 *For source, see Publication Reference.