Mastodia Hook.f. & Harv.
=TURGIDOSCULUM J.Kohlm. & E.Kohlm., 1972
Type : Mastodia tessellata (Hook.f. & Harv.) Hook.f. & Harv. [=Ulva tessellata Hook.f. & Harv.]
Type : Turgidosculum ulvae (Reed) J.Kohlm. & E.Kohlm. [Guignardia ulvae Reed]
Description : Flora (1985: 588 – as Turgidosculum).
Mastodia, included in the family Mastodiaceae (Eriksson et al. 2004; Pennycook & Galloway 2004; Eriksson 2005), is a genus of seven species of marine fungi (Dodge 1948; Kirk et al. 2001), forming obligate symbiotic associations with marine microalgae (species of Prasiola) in which the habit of the alga dominates. The chlorophytes Prasiola borealis and P. crispa ssp. antarctica are associated with the ascomycete Mastodia tessellata (syn. Turgidosculum complicatulum). Hyphae grow throughout the algal thallus and separate it into groups of cells. These groups consist of tetrads or rows of algal cells. Large, dark ascomata and smaller pycnidia are embedded in this thallus, giving it a warty appearance. For a long time the question was unresolved as to whether M. tessellata was a symbiont or a parasite (Kohlmeyer & Kohlmeyer 1979: 77). However, the biology and developmental morphology of the taxon was thoroughly examined by Kováčik & Pereira (2001) and Lud et al. (2000, 2001), and both of these teams concluded independently that the association should be interpreted as a lichen having a simple level of organisation [see also Sanders et al. 2004]. The complicated [no pun intended!] nomenclatural history of the taxon is presented in Kohlmeyer et al. (2004). One species is known from New Zealand.
