title: Protoascon missouriensis, a complex fossil microfungus revisited.
abstract: The Carboniferous microfungus Protoascon missouriensis has been interpreted variously as an ascomycete, chytridiomycete, zygomycete and oomycete. We offer a more complete interpretation based on a re-examination of the type material that suggests the fossil represents an (a)zygosporangium-suspensor complex of a zygomycete comparable to some modern members of the Mucorales.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Research Center, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045-7534, USA. tntaylor@ku.edu
authors.forename: Thomas N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krings
authors.forename: Sharon D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Klavins
authors.forename: Edith L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D005580:Fossils; D005658:Fungi / Q000145:classification* / Q000166:cytology*; D008853:Microscopy