An introduction to the genus Sordaria Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 License. This sordaria is available in Fungal Genetics Reports: http://newprairiepress.org/fgr/vol16/iss1/3 SORDARIA Fields, W. G. An introduction The genus Sordario is closely related to Neurosporo and Podospora. to the genus Sordaria. Of the several known species, three hove been the principal subjects in genetic studier. There include two homothollic

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... s, 5. fimicola -and 2. mocrorpom, and one heterothollic species, S. brevicollis. The natural habit.+ of all three rpecies is dung of herbivorous enimalr. The homothallic species we common&d worldwide in distribution; 5. brevicollir is lerr common but widely distributed. The specie of Sordoria ore similar morpholcgicolly, producing black periihecia containing asci with eight dork arcorporer in a lineor ormngemenf. Ascorpore size and shape ore important taxonomic criteria for distinguishing species, although there is considerable variation within species. Arcos~orer of S. fimicolo ore about 12 x 20~; those of S. macrorparo are about 17 x 31~. Ascorporer of S. brevicollir ore about IO x I&, butTheis easily distinguished since Fir heterothallic. Life cycles and genetic peculiarities. Both 5. fimicola and 5. macrorpora produce self-fertile tholli. That is, a culture de--rived from a single homckaryotic arcospore is copable of compl&ng the life cycle. Unlike N. crassa, there is no homogenic incompatibility. --Even though single spore cultures ore self-fertile, they may be crossed. For example, when two cultures of 2. macrospora ore paired in a petri dish, each mycelium will give rise to perithecio and homokoryotic asci. However, in the region where the two mycelia meet, heterokoryorir may occur, with the result that perithecio containing heterozygour asci are produced. A suitable marker (e.~, an orcorpore color mutant) is usually employed to detect such crossed perithecia which may then be used in formal genetic studier. Similar crossing occurs between paired cultures of 5. fimicolo. Not all such pairings ore successful. There is some evidence suggesting that a h&erogenic incompatibility &chonismperater in both species. The aim of this short review has been to acquaint geneticists with the work going on with Sordorio and to convey some of the potentialities of the genus os an object of study. The citotionr I have made ore not inclusive. If cny should desire a complete reference list, I would be glad to furnish it. Many thonkr ore due to Prof. Olive and Prof. Esrer for their comments and cooperation. ---Deportment of Botany and Plant Pathology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48823.