Diversity of Aquatic Hyphomycetes in Two Coastal Streams of Southwest India
Authors: Shekar Tejaswi, Kodandoor Sharathchandra, Kandikere Ramaiah Sridhar*
Department of Biosciences, Mangalore University, Mangalagangotri, Mangalore - 574199, Karnataka, India,
*E-mail: kandikeremanasa@gmail.com
Abstract
Aquatic hyphomycetes (or Ingoldian fungi) are widely distributed mycota in streams involved in the breakdown of organic matter and energy flow. In this study, diversity of aquatic hyphomycetes has been compared in two tropical coastal streams in southwest India. Water, foam, and litter samples (leaves and woody debris) in streams were assessed for aquatic hyphomycetes in relation to physicochemical characteristics. Water and foam samples were directly examined for the presence of conidia, while the leaf and woody litters were assessed by aeration in bubble chambers to release conidia. The species richness and diversity were higher in foam samples compared to other samples. Many species occurring in fairly cold climatic conditions in the Western Ghats were represented in the present study (Clavatospora tentacula, Condylospora spumigena, Flabellospora crassa, F. multiradiata, F. verticillata, Isthmotricladia gombakiensis, Lunulospora cymbiformis, Synnematophora constricta, and Varicosporium elodeae). This study also revealed a new record of eight species on the Indian subcontinent (Campylospora leptosoma, Condylospora vietnamensis, Helicoma atroseptatum, Helicomyces collegatus, H. hyderabadensis, Helicosporium aureum, Hydrometrospora symmetrica, and Setosynnema isthmosporum). Further studies are warranted on the diversity, substrate preference, and ecological roles of aquatic hyphomycetes in coastal streams.
Keywords: Diversity, Foam, Incubation, Leaf litter, Wood
Document Type: Original Article
Citation: Tejaswi, S., Sharathchandra, K., & Sridhar, K. R. (2025). Diversity of aquatic hyphomycetes in two coastal streams of southwest India. Mycological Spectrum, 1(1):01-17.
Received: 21 February 2025 | Accepted: 17 April 2025 | Published: 13 May 2025
Handling Editor: Dr. Sunil Kumar Deshmukh | Reviewers: Prof. Darbhe Jayarama Bhat, Dr. Belle Damodara Shenoy
Copyright: ©2025 Tejaswi, Sharathchandra, Sridhar. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution, or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution, or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
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