Martensiomyces pterosporusis a saprotrophic member of the Kickxellaceae. This rare fungus has only been isolated one time from soil collected in Yangambi, Congo, now the Democratic Republic of the Congo.In cultureM. pterosporusproduces a bright yellow, low, up to 2 mm high, colony.
Martensiomycesrepresents one of twelve genera currently included in the Kickxellaceae and its ecological role in soil ecosystems is still unknown.
The systematics of the family Kickxellaceae is based largely on the morphological characteristics of the mycelium. The vegetative mycelium of all representatives of Kickxellaceae form characteristic 1-spored or 2-spored merosporangia, which serve as organs of asexual reproduction.Zygospores (sexual spores) have never been seen inMartensiomyces pterosporus. The arrangement of the fertile head (umbellateorigin of the sporocladial branches) inMartensiomycesis unique and distinct from species in other genera of Kickxellaceae. The hyphae ofMartensiomycesalso have a septal pore with a plug in a lenticular cavity.
In addition to providing new information about the evolutionary relationships within the Kickxellomycotina, sequencing the genomes of members of the Kickxellaceae will also help to elucidate the ecological roles that these fungi play in nature. The acquisition of a septal plug apparatus that helps to control cytoplasmic movements between cells has been a key innovation within some groups of fungi. Accordingly, the genome ofMartensiomyces pterosporuswill likely provide important clues for understanding more about the evolution and function of this cellular apparatus. (MycoCosm, 2015)
