CONCLUSIONS

Synchytrium permicus is the first known Permian chytridiomycete (Synchytriaceae). It is assigned to extant members of Synchytrium, based on the endobiotic parasitic habit, the production of thin- and thick-walled sporangia, and the fusion of isogamous gametes as a part of the life cycle.  The delicate preservation of fossil fungi like S. permicus constitutes a unique opportunity to reconstruct past life cycles and to study hosts/parasite interactions in ancient ecosystems. Massive infection of plant tissues, occurrence of a single sporangium per host cell, and a wide shape and size range of zoospores and sporangia may be characteristic of Synchytriaceae precursors in past environments. S. permicus shows that the preservation of several elements of a recognized life cycle can be useful in assessing the affinities of fossil fungal taxa.