title: An endogenous rhythm of trap formation in the nematophagous fungus Arthrobotrys oligospora.
abstract: In the predacious fungus Arthrobotrys oligospora Fres., the number and distribution of traps formed after the addition of living nematodes to the colonies were determined. At 21°C the traps were formed periodically; the mean period was 42.3±0.8 h. The periodicity was independent of light-dark (LD) cycles of 24 h (10:14). Temperature influenced the hyphal elongation but did not affect the periodic trap formation; at lower temperatures the peaks of trap formation were close together, showing partial overlapping. Induction of rhythmic mycelial growth and conidiation by chemical means was effective only in LD-cycles. The latter diurnal rhythm was weakly correlated with the trap formation and did not affect the endogenous period of approximately 42 h.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Systematische Botanik und Pflanzen-Geographie der Freien Universität Berlin, Altensteinstr. 6, D-1000, Berlin 33, Germany.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lysek
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nordbring-Hertz