NAME Trichothyrites hordlensis
AGE Late Eocene.   AGE span: 40.4...33.9 mya
K&J CLASSIFICATION (2000) Ascomycetes, Microthyriales.
FIGURE(S)
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Pl.22fig.6.jpg
FIGURE REFERENCE Smith PH. 1980. Trichothyriaceous fungi from the Early Tertiary of southern England; Palaeontology, v. 23, p. 205-212.
SPECIES, AUTHORITY T. hordlensis Smith 1980, p. 209; text-figs. 3A-C.
LOCATION Lower Headon deposits, Hordle Cliff, Hampshire, England, U.K.
ORIG DESCRIPTION* Maximum diameter of thyriothecia 75 µm. Erect ostiolar collar of 3-4 tiers of small (2 x 2 µm) thick-walled quadrilateral cells, diameter of collar 20 µm; ostiolar marginal cells not produced into setae, ostiolar pore diameter 10-15 µm. Upper wall of thyriothecium consisting of quadrilateral cells arranged in rows radiating from ostiolar collar, cell size ranging from 3 x 3 µm near collar to 6 x 8 µm at margin. Cells of lower wall similar but with more delicate cell walls. Thyriothecia usually found as isolated structures not in association with cuticle or other fungal hyphae. Spores absent.
COMMENTS* The affinity of these fossil thyriothecia cannot be stated exactly, as the final diagnostic character used for species determination by Ellis (1977) is the nature of the host substrate coupled with the shape of the ascospores. Although the large cells at the base of the ostiolar collar (Text-figs. 3A, B) may tend to suggest an affinity with Trichothyrina alpestris (Sacc.)Petrak 1950, there is no clear indication that these cells are perforate in the fossil material. Similarly, although setal processes from the cells of the ostiolar collar may or may not be present in T. alpestris, their absence from the fossil material, coupled with the small overall size of the fructification (75 µm v. 200 µm), small ostiolar collar diameter (20 µm v. 25-40 µm), all combine to suggest a closer affinity with T. ammophilae Ellis 1977.
PUBLICATION REFERENCE Smith PH. 1980. Trichothyriaceous fungi from the Early Tertiary of southern England; Palaeontology, v. 23, p. 205-212.
K&J REMARKS
TYPE
ALL NAMES (Including synonyms) Trichothyrites hordlensis
SERIAL NUMBER 1734
PUBLIC COMMENTS
 *For source, see Publication Reference.