SOME FOSSIL FUNGAL FORM-TAXA FROM THE MAASTRICHTIAN AND PALEOGENE AGES

Some distinctive dispersed fungal spores of Maastrichtian to Oligocene age from the Amphitheatre Formation, Yukon Territory, Canada, the Ice berg Bay Formation at Strand Fiord and Kanguk peninsula on Axel Heiber g Island, Northwest Territories, Canada, and the Deccan Intertrappean Beds of India are described. Except for Delitschia-type ascospores, al l fungal spores are considered to be conidia. Five new fossil form-gen era are described and have been named according to their affinities to modem taxa. Xylohyphites vernucosa, with affinity to Xylohypha, is de scribed from permineralized fruits of Viracarpon. Ampulliferinites axe lheibergi, Helicoonites goosii, Helicosporiates pirozynskii and Paleos limacomyces canadensis are described for Ampulliferina-type, Helicoon- Helicodendron-type, Helicosporium-type and Slimacomyces-type conidia. New species in existing fossil genera including Pirinella alternariata , Diporicellaesporites icebergi, Brachyspouisporites endophragmia and Pluricellaesporites excipularis are described for conidia with affinit ies to Alternaria, Diplococcium or Bispora, Endophragmia and Excipular ia respectively. Conidia resembling those of the modem genus Uberispor a are described but not named. Dicellaesporites delitschiapites sp. no v. is described for ascospores with affinity to Delitschia.