Diario de gustaf1

Aquatic hyphomycetes are an extremely interesting and generally under-recorded group of fungi. They often produce complex and uniquely shaped condia. Although there exists marine hyphomycetes, the most accessible ones to the amateur are in fresh water.
Ingoldian fungi are aquatic saprobes, breaking down plant matter and produce their conidia under water. Aero-aquatic fungi are saprobes similar to ingoldian fungi, but only produce condidia once they are in contact with the air. However in this post we will be looking at both because they can be found in the same environments and samples.
Scum formed from running water is often a good place to look for these fungi as they catch the spores. Usually the season for these kinds of fungi is considered to be during the winter, however, I am convinced this is only the case because no one cares too look at them when there are other things around!
Recently I had the chance to collect some scum formed at the bottom of a waterfall in here in Scotland, and managed to find atleast 12 species in these samples! Here I will list the resources I have used to identify these species to make it easier for you!

Ingolian Fungi:

• http://vietsciences.free.fr/khaocuu/nguyenlandung/namsoi03.htm
• https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Ingoldian-fungi-from-the-semi-arid-Caatinga-biome-Fiuza/2e2ca5bc9df67c8c3dedca9e8dc2230f4a121c6a/figure/1
• https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Conidia-of-some-Ingoldian-fungi-1-Anguillospora-sp-2-Ingoldiella-hamata-3_fig1_281481025
• https://www.researchgate.net/figure/A-Heliscella-stellata-conidia-and-conidiophore-B-Ingoldiella-hamata-conidium-C_fig4_316881422
• https://ascomycete.org/Journal/Article/art-0283
• http://www.ascofrance.com/search_forum/35545
• https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Line-drawings-of-representative-spores-observed-in-the-water-foam-A-Filosporella_fig3_361659101
• https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Spores-reproductive-structures-of-aquatic-hyphomycetes-a-Heliscella-stellata-b_fig1_358639231
• https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Micrographs-of-some-isolated-Aquatic-Hyphomycetes-were-a-Triscelophorus-acuminatus-b_fig3_371346406
• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0007153682801496
• https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Fungal-spores-found-on-bark-a-unknown-sp-1-b-unknown-sp-2-c-unknown-sp-3-d_fig2_263238260
• https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Mature-conidia-of-a-Subulispora-longirostrata-b-Tetraploa-aristata-c-Tripospermum_fig4_342351746
• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0953756208614513

Aero-aquatic Hyphomycetes

• https://www.researchgate.net/publication/313092000_Aquatic_and_aero-aquatic_hyphomycetes_from_Ireland

Often microfungi can be difficult to ID, and knowing the resources at your disposal can be a huge help! Here are a list of websites (and books) that I use regularly when attempting to ID temprate european microfungi (although I am sure some will be applicable for other regions).

Often times microfungi are specific to a plant species or genus, particularly plant pathogens and microfungi on herbacius stems. The following resources are great for fungi that you suspect are specific:

• https://bladmineerders.nl/ - for plant pathogens
• https://www.bioinfo.org.uk/ - for plant pathogens and plant specific saprobes
• https://bryophilous.co.uk/bryophilous-fungi/ - fungi on bryophytes
• Ellis and Ellis's 'Microfungi on land plants' - An large book ordered by plant species and the fungi that grow on them, also includes a section of general saprotrophs on wood, stems, and leaf litter

Other fungi may be generlist saprobes growing on just about anything. These can often be difficult to ID, especially to species level! Usually because there are multiple species in the genus that can only be told apart by microscopy. Sometimes it requires microscopy to even get to the genus, especially for pyrenomycetes! The following resources are helpful for ID of general saprotrophs, plant specific fungi, and fungi specific to unique substrates:

• https://www.mycokey.com/ - Great for ID to genus level using their free and downloadable 'Wheels'
• Ellis and Ellis's 'Microfungi on Miscellaneous Substrates' - An excellent book which includes fungi on bryophytes, dung, bones, and feathers (as well as a multitude of other unusual substrates)

Often microfungi require microscopy to ID, especially if non-specific. Finding the microscopic characteristics is often difficult, and is sometimes unfortunately hidden within reaserch articles. On the bright side sometimes all it takes is a search for the species to find these. There are also some places that compile this kind of data:

• http://www.ascofrance.com/ - a forum that also has records of fungi they ID, usually including spore images and sizes as well as other microscopic identifying features
• https://uk.inaturalist.org/projects/mushroom-microscopy - a project on iNaturalist that compiles mushroom microscopy, sometimes you can find the species you are looking for with appropriate microscopic details
• https://bladmineerders.nl/ - sometimes has descriptions of plant pathogen spores and their sizes

I hope this helps anyone who wants to take their first steps into mycology and microfungi! It is an extremely rewarding hobby and after 2 years of searching almost every foray reveals species I have never seen before. If you have any suggestions of resources that I should add to this list please let me know!