1
|
Biswas A, Bera M, Khan MA, Spicer RA, Spicer TEV, Acharya K, Bera S. Evidence of fungal decay in petrified legume wood from the Neogene of the Bengal Basin, India. Fungal Biol 2020; 124:958-968. [PMID: 33059847 DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2020.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Revised: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Silicified fossil legume woods of Cynometroxylon Chowdhury & Ghosh collected from the Neogene (late Miocene) sediments of the Bengal Basin, eastern India, exhibit fungal decay seldom found in the fossil record. The wood possesses numerous perforate areas on the surface that seem to be the result of extensive fungal activity. In transverse section, the decayed areas (pockets) appear irregular to ellipsoidal in outline; in longitudinal section these areas of disrupted tissue are somewhat spindle-shaped. Individual pockets are randomly scattered throughout the secondary xylem or are restricted to a narrow zone. The aforesaid patterns of decay in fossil wood show similarities with that of white rot decay commonly produced by higher fungi, specifically basidiomycetes and ascomycetes. The host fossil wood harbors abundant ramifying and septate fungal hyphae with knob like swellings similar to pseudoclamps in basidiomycetes, and three-celled conidia-like reproductive structures. This record expands our current knowledge of wood decaying fungi-host plant interaction in the Neogene tropical forests of Peninsular India.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anwesha Biswas
- Centre of Advanced Study, Department of Botany, University of Calcutta, 35, B.C. Road, Kolkata, 00019, India
| | - Meghma Bera
- Centre of Advanced Study, Department of Botany, University of Calcutta, 35, B.C. Road, Kolkata, 00019, India; Department of Botany, Vidyanagar College, West Bengal, 743503, India
| | - Mahasin Ali Khan
- Department of Botany, Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University, Ranchi Road, Purulia, 723104, India
| | - R A Spicer
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, 666303, PR China; School of Environment, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK
| | - T E V Spicer
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, 666303, PR China
| | - Krishnendu Acharya
- Centre of Advanced Study, Department of Botany, University of Calcutta, 35, B.C. Road, Kolkata, 00019, India
| | - Subir Bera
- Centre of Advanced Study, Department of Botany, University of Calcutta, 35, B.C. Road, Kolkata, 00019, India.
| |
Collapse
|