Germination and development of attachment structures by conidia of aquatic Hyphomycetes: a scanning electron microscope study

Abstract

Conidia of 10 species of aquatic Hyphomycetes were examined at the scanning electron microscope level. Mucilage was produced at the tips of the arms of tetraradiate conidia and also at conidium–substratum contact points of the conidia of non-tetraradiate species. Hyphal sheaths were ubiquitous. Species that formed appressoria on artificial substrata also formed appressoria readily on wood. All appressoria were surrounded by mucilage. Additionally, conidia of Tumularia aquatica produced protoappressorium-like structures on the wood. There were marked textural differences between the mucilages on different structures that may also indicate differences in their composition. Key words: aquatic Hyphomycetes, appressoria, attachment, mucilage, scanning electron microscopy.