Kathistaceae Malloch & M. Blackw., Can. J. Bot. 68(8): 1719 (1990)
MycoBank number: MB 81991; Index Fungorum number: IF 81991; Facesoffungi number: FoF 06874; 6 species.
Saprobic on herbivore dung and insects. Sexual morph: Ascomata globose to subglobose, with a long necks composed of parallel hyphae, straight curved ostiolar setae, with sphaerical spore-bearing structures (sporidiomata), cylindrical unicellular extension present. Peridium thin- walled, pseudoparenchymatous, of cells of textura angularis in surface view and thick-walled in cross section. Paraphyses lacking. Asci 8-spored, unitunicate, ellipsoidal to fusoid, thin-walled, evanescent at maturity, arranged in a basal fascicle. Ascospores clavate to falcate, hyaline or pale brown, 0–1 or transversely multi septate. Asexual morph: Conidiomata superficially similar to the ascomata, sphaerical, hyaline, without hyphal attachments, single wall layer thick at base, with or without ostiole, when present ostiole comprising with long neck. Conidiomatal wall composed of flattened cells of textura angularis. Conidiogenous cells enteroblastic, phialidic, hyaline, and smooth. Conidia sphaerical or cylindrical, produced in the centre of the conidiomata, hyaline, smooth, 0–1 or multi septate, escaping in a continuous chain through the ostiolar neck (adapted from Maharachchikumbura et al. 2016b).
Type genus – Kathistes Malloch & M. Blackw.
Notes – Malloch & Blackwell (1990) established Kathistaceae to accommodate Kathistes with the type species K. calyculata, and two more species, K. fimbriata and K. analemmoides. Kathistaceae has sufficient taxonomic distance from Pyxidiophoraceae. Therefore, it was reported as a family in Ophiostomatales (Malloch & Blackwell 1990). Maharachchikumbura et al. (2016b) provided an updated outline of Kathistaceae with the genera Kathistes, Mattirolella, and Termitariopsis.
Genera