Figs 1 and 2) Multispored sporangia in which the sporangial wall dissolves at maturity revealing a conspicuous columella. Fig 3) Persistent-walled sporangiola on recurved lateral branches. Images by Kerry O'Donnell.

Fennellomyces sp. T-0311 was isolated originally from rat dung in Taiwan by C. Chien, who deposited it in ATCC as Circinella linderi (ATCC 46495).  Though now listed in ATCC as Fennellomyces linderi, the available data suggests it is an undescribed species.  Species of Fennellomyces were initially classified within the family Thamnidiaceae based on phenotypic data, but molecular phylogenetic studies have revealed that this family is polyphyletic (O’Donnell et al. 2000; Walther et al. 2013).  Thus, placement of Fennellomyces within a family within the order Mucorales remains to be determined.  Fennellomyces species produce multispored sporangia in which the sporangial wall dissolves at maturity revealing a conspicuous columella (Figs. 1-2).  In addition to bearing terminal multispored sporangia, the sporangiophore also bears persistent-walled sporangiola on recurved lateral branches (Fig. 3).  The whole-genome of Fennellomyces sp. T-0311 was sequenced to help elucidate evolution of the early diverging fungi within the framework of the 1000 Fungal Genome Project (http://1000.fungalgenomes.org/home/).

References:

O’Donnell K, Lutzoni F, Ward TJ, Benny GL. 2000. Evolutionary relationships among mucoralean fungi (Zygomycota): Evidence for family polyphyly on a large scale. Mycologia 93:286─296.
Walther G, Pawłowska J, Alastruey-Izquierdo A, Wrzosek M, Rodriguez-Tudela JL, et al. 2013. DNA barcoding in Mucorales: an inventory of biodiversity. Persoonia 30:11–47.