NAME Pluricellaesporites serratus
AGE Middle Eocene.   AGE span: 48.6...37.2 mya
K&J CLASSIFICATION (2000) Fungi Imperfecti, Phragmosporae.
FIGURE(S)
Image of
Pl.12fig.38.jpg
FIGURE REFERENCE Sheffy MV, Dilcher DL. 1971. Morphology and taxonomy of fungal spores; Palaeontographica, Abt. B, v. 133 p. 34-51.
SPECIES, AUTHORITY P. serratus Sheffy & Dilcher 1971, p. 46, pl. 16, fig. 63.
LOCATION Puryear clay pit, one-half mile south of Puryear, Henry County, Tennessee, USA.
ORIG DESCRIPTION* Phragmospore 8.7 x 30.9 µm consisting of five irregular oblong cells. Cell at one end is rounded with opaque disk-shaped plate, pore at opposite end. Four opaque septa with irregular outline, 2.5 µm thick, wall 1 µm thick.
COMMENTS* The specific name serratus means jagged, and refers to the appearance of the septa.
PUBLICATION REFERENCE Sheffy MV, Dilcher DL. 1971. Morphology and taxonomy of fungal spores; Palaeontographica, Abt. B, v. 133 p. 34-51.
K&J REMARKS The line drawing (Sheffy & Dilcher, l.c., pl. 14) indicates an axial pore at the rounded end, and a flattened (hilate?) cell at the opposite end. The "jagged" appearance of the septa is caused by their folding, and consequent splitting at their central pores.

The so-called "pores" at the end of the fossil fungal spores may either be real pores or points of attachment of the spores. If this were the case, then this species should be included in Diporicellaesporites, having attachment scar (hilum) at the proximal end and a pore at the distal end. However, Kalgutkar and Jansonius (2000) see no evidence for that in the photograph.
TYPE
ALL NAMES (Including synonyms) Pluricellaesporites serratus
SERIAL NUMBER 1413
PUBLIC COMMENTS
 *For source, see Publication Reference.