Conidiogenesis in Termitaria snyderi (Fungi Imperfecti)

Termitaria snyderi Thaxter forms small discoid lesions on the exoskeleton of different species of termites. Its conidiogenesis has been studied by light and electron microscopy. The phialides are oriented parallel in a closely packed sporodochium. The conidia are produced endogenously in basipetal succession from a fixed conidiogenous locus and are liberated when the tip is broken off the phialide as a result of the force applied by the formation of new conidia. The area of the phialide beyond the locus forms a tubular collarette. The conidium initial buds out at the locus and after it has received its organelles and reached a certain size it is delimited by a centripetally growing transverse septum. The region of the growing septum has many vesicles which may be involved in cross wall synthesis. Conidia are cylindrical, uninucleate, and double-walled. They have mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum (ER), conspicuous lipid droplets, and vacuoles. Each conidiophore has long mitochondria, elongate nuclei, and much endoplasmic reticulum. The plasmalemma of the conidiophore is highly convoluted.