Fig 1.
A fungal-animal association from an early freshwater environment
(A) The three components in consistent association: wavy-walled rounded substrate structure, fungus and branchiopod resting egg (frame B). Remains of the branchiopod Lepidocaris rhyniensis (arrows). (B–C) Resting eggs, zoosporangia and rhizoid penetrating the wavy-walled rounded structure (arrow in C). (B) from the boxed area in (A). (D) Wavy-walled rounded structure filled with the rhizoids. (E) Resting egg and zoosporangia of different sizes bearing discharge papillae (arrow). Scale bars represent 125 μm in (A), 27 μm in (B, C), 175 μm in (D), 37μm in (E). (A, B, C) NHMUK V 16433; (D) NHMUK V16429; (E) NMS G.1925-9-14.
Fig 2.
Cultoraquaticus trewini: a new Early Devonian Chytridiomycota
(A–C) Wavy-walled rounded structures partially or almost entirely filled by the rhizoids. (D) Holotype of Cultoraquaticus trewini (NHMUK V 67910). Zoosporangium attached to the wavy-walled rounded structure by a rhizoid (arrow). From boxed area in (A).(E, F) Zoosporangium with attachment (arrow in E), showing discharge papillae (arrows in F).Scale bars represent 340 μm in (A), 195 μm in (B), 290 μm in (C), 23 μm in (D), 21μm in (E), 26 μm in (F).(A, B, D) NHMUK V 67910; (C) NMS G.1925-9-11; (E) NHMUK V16429; (F) NMS G.1925-9-14.
Fig 3.
Confocal laser scanning images of resting eggs of Lepidocaris and of the fungus Cultoraquaticus trewini
(A, B) Resting eggs of Lepidocaris and fungal zoosporangium showing discharge papillae (See also S1 Movie). (C) Endobiotic and dichotomously branched rhizoids. (D) Zoosporangia showing discharge papillae Scale bars represent 25 μm in (A) and (B), 20 μm in (C) and (D). (A, B) NHMUK V 16433; (C) NHMUK V 67910; (D) NHMUK V 15641.
Fig 4.
Resting eggs of the branchiopod crustacean Lepidocaris rhyniensis.
(A–J) Light microscopy, (K) Confocal laser scanning microscopy. Scale bars represent 22 μm in (A), 18 μm in (B, H), 17 μm in (C, F), 30 μm in (D), 27 μm in (E, K), 15 μm in (F), 23 μm in (G), 45 μm in (I), 25 μm in (J). (A, H) NHMUK V 67867; (B) NHMUK V 67910; (C, E) NHMUK V 15641; (D, J) RH 585; (F, G) NHMUK V 16433; (I) NMS G.1925-9-14; (K) NMS G.1925-9-11.
Fig 5.
Lepidocaris rhyniensis (A) and its resting egg (B) compared to modern anostracean Linderiella occidentalis (C) and resting egg of Linderiella santarosae (D). Brood pouch is indicated by an arrow. Scale bars represent 20 μm in (B) and 95 μm in (D).