Hi together

I wish to show some results about the very interesting Orbilia collection made by Enrique, from Eucalyptus bark in Asturia. I identified this species as O. alba, but later found that while this Orbilia became senescent, another Orbilia developed with similar though wider spores with a larger, globose, central apical SB, which I identify as O. cotonoeastris (a close relative to O. rectispora and O. pellucida which JP Priou knows).

Now, I believe that to O. alba belong the adhesive knobs which trap arthropods, and also the Drechslerella anamorph with very thick 2-septate conidia and constricting rings. On the contraty, O. cotoneastris is a member of series Dactylella and has cylindrical multiseptate conidia and no trap organs are known.

The problems here are manyfold: The apothecia of O. alba are now decayed and no pure culture possible. We tried to cultivate the trap organs, but the result is still unsure. So, if this Orbilia shows up again I would be very glad to receive a further sample.

While the apothecia are gone, the adhesive knobs become more and more, and I added small spiders and mites. Actually, within a few seconds the legs stick to the knobs. Often the animals succeed to get free after keeping unmoved for some minutes to let me take pictures, but one small mite was captured yesterday and is now beginning to get overgrown by the hyphae.

The hyphae of the knobs with their Woronin bodies resemble well the anchoring hyphae of O. alba, but the last evidence should be brought by a culture.

When the animal legs touch the knobs, several knobs get glued together, and then the animal needs threefold power to get free.

Here an insect that was captured possibly 2 days ago and is now already overgrown by the hyphae.