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Protoascon missouriensis, a complex fossil microfungus revisited

     Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Research Center, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045-7534

Michael Krings

     Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geologie und GeoBio-Center^LMU, Richard-Wagner-Straße 10, 80333 Munich, Germany

Sharon D. Klavins

     Department of Biology, 1 University Plaza, University of Wisconsin–Platteville, Platteville, Wisconsin 53818

Edith L. Taylor

     Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Research Center, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045-7534

The Carboniferous microfungus Protoascon missouriensis has been interpreted variously as an ascomycete, chytridiomycete, zygomycete and oomycete. We offer a more complete interpretation based on a re-examination of the type material that suggests the fossil represents an (a)zygosporangium-suspensor complex of a zygomycete comparable to some modern members of the Mucorales.

Key words: (a)zygosporangium, Carboniferous, Mucorales, suspensor, zygomycete