SPECIMENS EXAMINED: NEW ZEALAND, North Island, Auckland City, Lynfield, on the legs and abdomen of four individuals of Scatella nitidithorax Malloch (Diptera: Ephyddridae), 11 December 1983 (PDD 64947; AW-686) and 17 October 1984 (WR-1990), leg. B.A. Holloway.

Thallus hyaline to amber yellow, erect. Receptacle with two more or less equal cells, the basal (1) tapering towards the small black foot. Appendage stalk cell relatively small. Appendage basal cell sterile, superposed by three further cells, each producing a single antheridium, except for the uppermost cell, which additionally gives way to a spiniferous, terminal antheridium. Perithecium with venter inflated about the middle and with conspicuous spiral ridges. Perithecial neck abruptly distinguished, narrow elongate. Tip with distinct projections. Total length of thalli from foot to tip of perithecium: 275-360 µm; length of receptacle: 100-180 µm; length of free appendage: 55-65 µm; venter of perithecium: 100-110 x 60-65 µm; ascospores: 40-45 x 5 µm.

KNOWN DISTRIBUTION AND HOSTS: Stigmatomyces purpureus is of widespread distribution with records for Europe, North America, and Asia on various species of Scatella (Santamaria and Rossi 1993).

The specimens examined agree closely with the original description and illustration (Thaxter 1901, 1908) except for the thalli found on the legs in which the perithecial tip lacks the distinct projections, the lip cells being more rounded and not protruding.