Plant pathogen Protocolletotrichum from a Deccan intertrappean bed (Maastrichtian), India

A fossil fungus related to Colletotrichum Corda, which causes leaf spot and red rot in plants, was recovered from an intertrappean bed intersected by a well at Mohgaon-Kalan village, Chhindwara District, Madhya Pradesh. The intertrappean bed is sandwiched between the two basaltic flows and is dated as Maastrichtian on the basis of plant and animal fossils. Radiometric dating of the volcanic rocks yielded ages of 67.8–61.6 Ma. The specimens are preserved on a leaf cuticle and are named Protocolletotrichum deccanensis gen. et sp. nov. They are strongly constructed, 1–2 septate, dark brown setae, each with a slightly swollen base and pointed tip.