A Glomalean Fungus from the Permian of Antarctica

Abstract

A new genus and species of fossil fungus, Glomorphites intercalaris, is described from silicified peat of Late Permian age from Skaar Ridge in the central Transantarctic Mountains, Antarctica. The fungus consists of compact clusters of terminal and intercalary chlamydospores occurring in decaying silicified tissue, possibly roots. The chlamydospores have a wide size and shape range, a multilayered wall, porelike attachment scars at the ends of the body, and subtending hyphae of different shapes. The overall morphology of G. intercalaris resembles that of fossil and extant endomycorrhizal fungi, especially species producing Glomus‐type chlamydospores. This is the first report of an endomycorrhizal‐like fungus from the Permian.