Possible ID: Sordariaceae sp.
Classification:
Phylum: Ascomycota
Subphylum: Pezizomycotina
*Class: Sordariomycetes
*Order: Sordariales
*Family: Sordariaceae
Isolation and culturing methods:
Isolated from a plate placed under an air vent in the men’s bathroom on the third floor of the Rooke Biology building for around 10 minutes on February 19th of 2018. After being stored at room temperature for two weeks along with a multitude of other fungi, hyphae of the sample were taken from this plate and placed onto its own malt extract agar plate. After Spring break on March 19th of 2018, hyphae were removed from this plate and transferred to two separate MEA plates to ensure that a pure culture would be obtained.
Culture appearance and growth:
Fungal species was a white, cottony fungus with a somewhat fuzzy texture that grew relatively quickly along the surface of the medium, almost covering the entire surface of the plate within two weeks. Mycelia also grew into the medium and were at a higher density towards the outer edges of the plate as well. Hyphae were septate with no clamp connections and were relatively thin, measuring approximately 2-5 μm wide.
Growth after three weeks:
Spore production:
No obvious spores or spore-producing structures were observed in the specimen.
*Microscopic images were taken at 400x
*Addendum: After sequencing the DNA of this fungal species and blasting it on the NCBI database, evidence was found to suggest that this species is in the Family Sordariaceae.
Collector: Tommy Brouse Group: Andriana, Tommy, AJ