Figures 1a, b. Gracefully curved, progressively maturing reproductive branches of Coemansia reversa. The hanging, elliptical merosporangia (arrow) are produced on specialized, septate branches called sporocladia (one of which is designated by the square bracket in Fig. 1b). A merosporangium and its single spore are dispersed as a unit. On arriving on a suitable substrate, the spore can germinate to make a new fungal colony. Scale bars 20�??�?�µm. Photo credit: Gerald Benny, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida

Coemansia reversa is a species of one of most commonly encountered genera of the Kickxellales, subphylum Kickxellomycotina. The genus is known for the intricacy and elegance of its microscopic reproductive branches called ‘sporocladia’ (Fig. 1a, b). With ~21 species, Coemansia is also one of the largest genera in this subphylum. Kickxellomycotina are saprobes, mycoparasites or symbionts of aquatic arthropods or aquatic stages of arthropods.  Coemansia species are most often collected on dung and soil but they have also been isolated from dead insects and other organic matter.

Kickellomycotina is one of the five subphyla formerly classified in Zygomycota. Current data support Kickellomycotina as a unique lineage among the early diverging fungi, distinct from the Mucoromycotina (e.g., Rhizopus and Phycomyces).  As such, they likely represent a reservoir of unique genes and enzyme potential.