CYSTOPAGE Drechsler, 1941 (Mycologia 33:251), 7 species (Drechsler, 1941, 1955—Fig. 9: possible zygospores in an unidentifed Cystopage, 1959).

Haustorial parasites of amoebae and nematodes. Vegetative hyphae initially coencytic, later septate. Asexual reproduction by chlamydospores. Sexual reproduction unknown.

Type species: C. lateralis

Species of Cystopage:
C. cladospora Drechsler, 1957 (Mycologia 59:387) (Drechsler, 1957)
C. ellipsospora Drechsler, 1955 (Mycologia 47:379) (Drechsler, 1955; Dayal and Srivastava, 1979).
C. intercalaris Drechsler, 1945 (Mycologia 37:5) (Drechsler, 1945).
C. lateralis Drechsler, 1941 (Mycologia 33:251) (Drechsler, 1941).
C. sacciformis Drechsler, 1959 (Mycologia 51:799) (Drechsler, 1959).
C. sphaerospora Drechsler, 1955 (Mycologia 47:383) (Drechsler, 1955; Dayal and Srivastava, 1979).
C. subtilis Drechsler, 1941 (Mycologia 33:255) (Drechsler, 1941).

The type species of Cytopage, C. lateralis, appeared in 50 Petri plates. Other species (C. ellipsospora, C. sphaerospora) may appear in as many as 12 dishes (Drechsler, 1957). The spores of this fungus are always produced subaerially (Drechsler, 1941). Drechsler (1957, 1959) described and illustrated C. cladospora from cultures that were 60 days old, and C. sacciformis from 45 day old cultures.

Cystopage intercalaris appears most abundately in cool, moist months of April, September and October in the evirons of Washington, D.C. Mycelial growth is sparse and the chlamydospores appear 8-10 days after the hyphae (Drechsler, 1945).

Zygospores possibly attributable to Cystopage (Drechsler, 1945, 1955) were illustrated and discussed that were unusual in having a crustosely ornamented zygosporangial wall. Drechsler (1957, p. 391) declared C. lateralis the type species of Cystopage because of a change in the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature.


Dayal, R., and S.S. Srivastava. 1979. A few zoopageous species destructive to soil amoebae. Indian Phytopathology 32:397-400.

Drechsler, C. 1941. Four Phycomycetes destructive to nematodes and rhizopods. Mycologia 33:248-269.

Drechsler, C. 1945. Several additional Phycomycetes subsisting on nematodes and amoebae. Mycologia 37:1-31.

Drechsler, C. 1955. Additional species of Zoopagaceae subsisting on rhizopods and eelworms. Mycologia 47:364-388.

Drechsler, C. 1957. A nematode-capturing phycomycete forming chlamydospores terminally on lateral branches. Mycologia 59:387-391.

Drechsler, C. 1959. Several Zoopagaceae subsisting on a nematode and some terricolous amoebae. Mycologia 51:787-823.

Updated Nov 05, 2007