Astrothelium colombiense

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Astrothelium colombiense
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Ascomycota
Class: Dothideomycetes
Order: Trypetheliales
Family: Trypetheliaceae
Genus: Astrothelium
Species:
A. colombiense
Binomial name
Astrothelium colombiense
Aptroot (2016)

Astrothelium colombiense is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Trypetheliaceae. Found in Colombia, it was formally described as a new species in 2016 by Dutch lichenologist André Aptroot. The type specimen was collected from the Estacion Forestal La Espriella (Tumaco, Nariño) at an altitude of 35 m (115 ft). The lichen has shiny, pale ochraceous green thallus with a smooth to somewhat roughened texture. It has a cortex but lacks a prothallus. There is only a single ascospore in each ascus; this is a rarity in genus Astrothelium . The spores are hyaline, ellipsoid in shape, and muriform (i.e., divided into chambers by multiple transverse and longitudinal septa); they measure 240–300 by 45–50  μm. No lichen products were detected in this species. The specific epithet refers to the country of the type locality. [1]

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Astrothelium stromatofluorescens is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling) lichen in the family Trypetheliaceae. It is only known to occur in a few locations in Brazil and Bolivia.

Astrothelium ecuadorense is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Trypetheliaceae. Found in Ecuador, it was formally described as a new species in 2016 by Dutch lichenologist André Aptroot. The type specimen was collected by Harrie Sipman in the Estacion Cientifico San Francisco in the South Ecuadorian Andes ; there, it was found in a mountainous rainforest growing on smooth tree bark. The lichen has a smooth and shiny, pale yellowish-green thallus with a cortex but lacking a prothallus, covering areas of up to 10 cm (4 in) in diameter. No lichen products were detected in the collected specimens. The main characteristics of the lichen distinguishing it from others in Astrothelium are the lack of pseudocyphellae on the thallus, and the solitary, exposed, black ascomata. It is also one of the few Astrothelium species with only two spores in its asci.

Astrothelium flavostiolatum is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Trypetheliaceae. Found in Ecuador, it was formally described as a new species in 2016 by Dutch lichenologist André Aptroot. The type specimen was collected by Harrie Sipman from the Reserva Biológica San Francisco in the Andes of southern Ecuador at an altitude of 2,020 m (6,630 ft); there, it was found in a rainforest growing on smooth tree bark. The lichen has an olive-green thallus with a cortex but lacking a prothallus, covering areas of up to 10 cm (4 in) in diameter. The thallus is covered with small wart-like structures, and consists of swollen and distended (bullate) areas that coalesce, forming a continuous structure. The presence of the lichen does not induce the formation of galls in its host. A yellow anthraquinone is the only lichen product that was detected from the species using thin-layer chromatography. The group of characteristics of the lichen distinguishing it from others in Astrothelium are its irregular, bullate thallus; its solitary to confluent ascomata with yellowish ostiolar rims, and the coarse thallus verrucae.

Astrothelium guianense is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling) lichen in the family Trypetheliaceae. Found in Guyana, it was formally described as a new species in 2016 by Dutch lichenologist André Aptroot. The type specimen was collected Harrie Sipman and the author from the Pacaraima Mountains, where it was found in a rainforest growing on smooth tree bark. The lichen has a discontinuous, olive-green thallus with a cortex but lacking a prothallus, which covers areas of up to 6 cm (2.4 in) in diameter. The presence of the lichen induces the formation of galls in its host, which tends to split and deform under the thallus. No lichen products were detected in the collected specimens using thin-layer chromatography. The main characteristics of the lichen distinguishing it from others in Astrothelium are its gall-like thallus that has a bullate or folded texture; its solitary ascomata, which are immersed in the thallus and have only an area around the ostiole that is visible; and ascospores that lack a thick median septum.

Astrothelium lucidostromum is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling) lichen in the family Trypetheliaceae. Found in Guyana, it was formally described as a new species in 2016 by Dutch lichenologist André Aptroot. The type specimen was collected by Harrie Sipman about 45 km (28 mi) south of Aishalton at an altitude of 230 m (750 ft); there, it was found in a savanna forest growing on smooth tree bark. The lichen has a smooth and somewhat shiny, pale yellowish-grey thallus with a cortex but lacking a prothallus, which covers areas of up to 7 cm (2.8 in) in diameter. The presence of the lichen does not induce the formation of galls in the host plant. The pseudostromata contains lichexanthone, a lichen product that causes that structure to fluoresce when lit with a long-wavelength UV light. The main characteristics of the lichen distinguishing it from others in Astrothelium are the UV+ pseudostroma; the fused ascomata; and the immersed pseudostroma that have a white cover. Astrothelium eustomuralis is a smiliar species, but in that species, lichexanthone only occurs in the ostiole, not the entire pseudostroma.

Astrothelium lucidothallinum is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Trypetheliaceae. Found in Guyana, it was formally described as a new species in 2016 by Dutch lichenologist André Aptroot. The type specimen was collected about 30 km (19 mi) south of Aishalton at an altitude of 300 m (980 ft); there, it was found in a savanna growing on smooth tree bark. The lichen has a smooth and somewhat shiny, pale yellowish grey thallus with a cortex and a thin black prothallus line. It covers areas of up to 9 cm (3.5 in) in diameter. The thallus contains lichexanthone, a lichen product that causes it to fluoresce yellow when lit with a long-wavelength UV light. The combination of characteristics of the lichen that distinguish it from others in Astrothelium are: the presence of lichexanthone only in the thallus; the indistinctly pseudostromatic ascomata, with erumpent pseudostromata—whitish in colour but lacking a sharp outline; and the dimensions of the ascospores as well as their number per ascus (eight).

Astrothelium sexloculatum is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Trypetheliaceae. Found in Guyana and Papua New Guinea, it was formally described as a new species in 2016 by Dutch lichenologist André Aptroot. The type specimen was collected by Harrie Sipman on the Dadadanawa ranch at an altitude of 120 m (390 ft); there, it was found growing on smooth tree bark in a savanna. The lichen has a smooth and somewhat shiny, pale yellowish-grey thallus with a cortex and a thin black prothallus line. It covers areas of up to 9 cm (3.5 in) in diameter. Both the thallus and the pseudostromata contain lichexanthone, a lichen product that causes these structures to fluoresce yellow when lit with a long-wavelength UV light. The combination of characteristics of the lichen that distinguish it from others in Astrothelium are the indistinctly pseudostromatic ascomata, with erumpent to prominent pseudostromata that are covered by thallus. The species epithet sexloculatum refers to the ascospores, which are divided into six chambers (locules) by five transverse septa.

Astrothelium perspersum is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Trypetheliaceae. Found in Gabon, it was formally described as a new species in 2016 by lichenologists André Aptroot and Damien Ertz. It is one of the few Trypetheliaceae species known only from Africa. The type specimen was collected by the second author between the villages of Massaha and Batouala ; there, it was found in a rainforest growing on smooth tree bark. The lichen has a smooth and somewhat shiny, pale greenish-grey thallus with a cortex and a thin black prothallus line. It covers areas of up to 4 cm (1.6 in) in diameter. The presence of the lichen does not induce the formation of galls in the host plant. No lichen products were detected from collected specimens using thin-layer chromatography. The combination of characteristics of the lichen that distinguish it from others in Astrothelium are the dimensions of its ascospores ; and the arrangement and form of its ascomata—from irregular groups to pseudostromatic, with the pseudostromata erumpent, and white. Astrothelium perspersum is somewhat similar to A. scoria, but has larger ascospores than that species.

Astrothelium pseudodissimulum is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Trypetheliaceae. Found in Papua New Guinea, it was formally described as a new species in 2016 by Dutch lichenologist André Aptroot. The type specimen was collected by Harrie Sipman in Brahman Mission at an altitude of 100 m (330 ft); there, it was found in a rainforest growing on smooth tree bark. The lichen has a smooth, pale yellowish-green thallus with a cortex but lacking a prothallus. It covers areas of up to 15 cm (6 in) in diameter. The only lichen product detected in collected samples of the lichen using thin-layer chromatography was an anthraquinone. The combination of characteristics of the lichen that distinguish it from others in Astrothelium are its inspersedhamathecium; pigment in the medulla that reacts K+ (red); and the pseudostromatic form of the ascomata, with whitish-coloured, erumpent to prominent pseudostromata.

Astrothelium pseudoferrugineum is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Trypetheliaceae. Found in Indonesia, it was formally described as a new species in 2016 by Dutch lichenologist André Aptroot. The type specimen was collected in 1937 by Pieter Groenhart on Jombang (Java); there, it was found in a disturbed rainforest growing on smooth tree bark. The lichen has a smooth and somewhat shiny to glossy, bright orange thallus with a cortex but without a prothallus. The orange crust is about 0.1 mm thick and covers areas of up to 3 cm (1.2 in) in diameter. The use of thin-layer chromatography shows the lichen contains an orange anthraquinone, possibly parietin. The main characteristics of the lichen that distinguish it from others in Astrothelium are its immersed to erumpent, whitish pseudostromata. It is named for its similarity to Astrothelium ferrugineum, from which it differs in its glossier thallus and larger ascospores.

Astrothelium pseudomegalophthalmum is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Trypetheliaceae. Found in Colombia, it was formally described as a new species in 2016 by Dutch lichenologist André Aptroot. The type specimen was collected from Araracuara at an altitude of 300 m (980 ft); there, in a savanna forest, it was found growing on smooth tree bark. The lichen has a smooth and somewhat shiny, pale olive-green thallus with a cortex and a thin black prothallus line. The lichen thallus covers areas of up to 7 cm (2.8 in) in diameter, and its presence does not induce the formation of galls in the host plant. No lichen products were detected in collected samples using thin-layer chromatography. The characteristics of the lichen that distinguish it from others in Astrothelium are its solitary to irregularly confluent ascomata, which are erumpent with an exposed upper part. Its ascospores have seven septa and measure 152–166 by 32–37 μm. Its namesake species, A. megalophthalmum, also has large spores with seven septa.

Astrothelium neoinspersum is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Trypetheliaceae. Found in El Salvador, it was formally described as a new species in 2016 by Dutch lichenologist André Aptroot. The type specimen was collected by Harrie Sipman from Montecristo National Park ; there, it was found in a rainforest growing on smooth tree bark. The lichen has a smooth and somewhat shiny, olive-green thallus with a cortex but without a prothallus. It covers areas of up to 5 cm (2 in) in diameter. The presence of the lichen does not induce the formation of galls in the host plant. The only lichen product detected from collected specimens using thin-layer chromatography was an anthraquinone compound. The combination of characteristics of the lichen that distinguish it from others in Astrothelium are the yellow pigment in the ascomata; the form of the ascomata ; and the arrangement of the ascomata. The bright yellow pseudostromata help distinguish Astrothelium neoinspersum from the otherwise similar A. aenascens, found in Papua New Guinea.

Astrothelium bivelum is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Trypetheliaceae. Found in Brazil, it was formally described as a new species in 2016 by lichenologists André Aptroot and Marcela Cáceres. The type specimen was collected by the authors in the Parque Natural Municipal de Porto Velho, in a primary rainforest. The lichen has a smooth and somewhat shiny, ochraceous-green thallus with a 0.4 cm-wide rough and irregular prothallus; the thallus covers areas of up to 3 cm (1.2 in) in diameter. The presence of the lichen does not induce the formation of galls in the host. The ascomata are pear-shaped (pyriform), measure 0.5–0.7 mm in diameter, typically aggregate in groups of two to six, and are usually immersed in the bark tissue. The characteristics that distinguish it from other members of Astrothelium include the diffusely pseudostromatic, erumpent ascomata that are covered by thallus and have an external pink pigment, with each containing a single group of fused ascomata; and the 5-septate ascospores. A. bivelum is one of the few Astrothelium-like species with 5-septate ascospores that does not contain lichexanthone.

Astrothelium curvisporum is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Trypetheliaceae. Found in Brazil, it was formally described as a new species in 2016 by lichenologists André Aptroot and Marcela Cáceres. The type specimen was collected by the authors in the Parque Natural Municipal de Porto Velho, in a primary rainforest. The lichen has a smooth and somewhat shiny, olive-green to olive-brown thallus that lacks a prothallus and covers areas of up to 5 cm (2 in) in diameter. The presence of the lichen does not induce the formation of galls in the host. The ascomata are more or less spherical (globose), measuring 0.8–1.2 mm in diameter, and typically occur in groups of 3 to 15, usually immersed in pseudostromata. The species epithet curvisporum refers to the curved ascospores, which have five septa that divide the spore into distinct compartments. The spores have a thick gelatinous layer that is 17–22 μm thick. No lichen products were detected in collected samples of the species using thin-layer chromatography. The characteristics that distinguish A. curvisporum from other members of Astrothelium include its grouped ascomata and its curved ascospores.

Astrothelium decemseptatum is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Trypetheliaceae. Found in Brazil, it was formally described as a new species in 2016 by lichenologists André Aptroot and Marcela Cáceres. The type specimen was collected by the authors in the Sítio Ecológico Buriti on Lago Cujubim, in a disturbed rainforest. The lichen has a smooth and somewhat shiny, pale yellowish-grey thallus that lacks a prothallus and covers areas of up to 7 cm (2.8 in) in diameter. The ascomata are pear-shaped (pyriform) and typically occur in aggregated groups of two to five, usually immersed in the bark tissue. The species epithet decemseptatum refers to the ascospores, which usually have between nine and eleven septa that divide the spore into distinct compartments. Anthraquinone compounds were detected in collected samples of the lichen using thin-layer chromatography. The characteristics that distinguish it from other members of Astrothelium include its ascomata, which are solitary to irregularly confluent, immersed in large thallus verrucae, and have scattered, external, pink pigment, and an inspersedhamathecium; and the dimensions of the ascospores.

Astrothelium duplicatum is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Trypetheliaceae. Found in Brazil, it was formally described as a new species in 2016 by lichenologists André Aptroot and Marcela Cáceres. The type specimen was collected by the authors in the Parque Natural Municipal de Porto Velho, where it was found growing on the smooth bark of a tree in a park near a rainforest, and on tree twigs in the forest. The lichen has a smooth and somewhat shiny, olive-green thallus surrounded by a black prothallus and covers areas of up to 5 cm (2 in) in diameter. The presence of the lichen does not induce the formation of galls in its host. The ascomata are roughly spherical and typically aggregate in groups of about five to fifty, usually immersed in the bark tissue as pseudostromata. Its ascospores are hyaline, spindle-shaped and measure 45–55 by 11–15 μm. The use of thin-layer chromatography on collected lichen samples revealed the presence of an anthraquinone compound, possibly parietin. The characteristics that distinguish Astrothelium duplicatum from other members of Astrothelium include the internal, yellow pigment of its ascomata; and the dimensions of its ascospores, which are about 3–4 times as long as they are broad. Astrothelium mesoduplex is similar in appearance, but that species lacks yellow to orange pseudostromata and has shorter ascospores.

Astrothelium eumultiseptatum is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Trypetheliaceae. Found in Brazil, it was formally described as a new species in 2016 by lichenologists André Aptroot and Marcela Cáceres. The type specimen was collected by the authors in the Fazenda São Francisco, in a low-altitude primary rainforest. The lichen has a smooth and somewhat shiny, pale yellowish-grey thallus with a black prothallus line and covers areas of up to 7 cm (2.8 in) in diameter. The ascomata are pear-shaped (pyriform) and typically aggregate in groups of two to five, usually immersed in the bark tissue as pseudostromata. The ostioles of the ascomata contains lichexanthone, a lichen product that causes these structures to glow yellow when lit with a long-wavelength UV light. The main characteristic that distinguishes it from other members of Astrothelium are its ascospores, which measure 65–70 by 15–17 μm, and only have transverse septa.

Astrothelium eustomurale is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Trypetheliaceae. Found in Brazil, it was formally described as a new species in 2016 by lichenologists André Aptroot and Marcela Cáceres. The type specimen was collected by the authors in the Parque Natural Municipal de Porto Velho, in a low-altitude primary rainforest. The lichen has a smooth and somewhat shiny, pale yellowish-grey thallus that lacks a prothallus and covers areas of up to 12 cm (4.7 in) in diameter. The presence of the lichen does not induce the formation of galls in the host. The ascomata are pear-shaped (pyriform) and typically occur in aggregates of two to five, usually immersed in the bark tissue under the pseudostromata and with a whitish-coloured tissue that contrasts with the surrounding thallus. Black pycnidia are abundant on the pseudostromata. The area around and including the ostiole of the ascomata contains lichexanthone, a lichen product that causes these areas to glow yellow when lit with a long-wavelength UV light. The characteristics that distinguish it from other members of Astrothelium include the UV+ yellow nature of the ostiole; and the fused, erumpent pseudostromatic ascomata that have a white cover contrasting it with the thallus colour.

Astrothelium flavomurisporum is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Trypetheliaceae. Found in Brazil, it was formally described as a new species in 2016 by lichenologists André Aptroot and Marcela Cáceres. The type specimen was collected by the authors from the Estação Ecológica de Cuniã, in a low-altitude primary rainforest. The lichen has a smooth and somewhat shiny, olive-green thallus that lacks a prothallus and covers areas of up to 7 cm (2.8 in) in diameter. The ascomata are pear-shaped (pyriform), measuring 0.5–0.7 mm in diameter, and typically aggregate in groups of two to five, usually quite immersed in the bark tissue. Ascospores are hyaline, ellipsoid, and muriform ; they measure 165–200 by 28–35 μm and have a thickened central septum. The presence of the lichen does not induce the formation of galls in the host. Thin-layer chromatography did not reveal the presence of any lichen products in the collected lichen samples. The characteristics that distinguish Astrothelium flavomurisporum from other members of Astrothelium include the dispersed groups of fused, immersed ascomata; and the median thickening of the ascospores.

Astrothelium leucosessile is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Trypetheliaceae. Found in Panama, it was formally described as a new species in 2016 by Robert Lücking, Matthew Nelsen, and André Aptroot. The type specimen was collected by the first author from the Altos de Campana National Park at an altitude between 500 and 600 m ; there, in a submontane forest, it was found growing on the bark of roadside trees. The lichen has a smooth to uneven, light olive-grey thallus that covers areas of up to 5 cm (2 in), and has streaks of yellowish-white pruina. Both the thallus and the pseudostromata contain lichexanthone, which cause these structures to fluoresce yellow when lit with a long-wavelength UV light. The species epithet leucosessile refers to the whitish colour and sessile habit of the pseudostromata. The characteristics of the lichen that distinguish Astrothelium leucosessile from others in genus Astrothelium are its well delimited, whitish pseudostromata, which are prominent to sessile. Astrothelium phlyctaena is somewhat similar in appearance, but that species does not have conspicuous, sessile pseudostromata.

References

  1. Aptroot, André; Ertz, Damien; Etayo Salazar, Javier Angel; Gueidan, Cécile; Mercado Diaz, Joel Alejandro; Schumm, Felix; Weerakoon, Gothamie (2016). "Forty-six new species of Trypetheliaceae from the tropics". The Lichenologist. 48 (6): 609–638. doi: 10.1017/s002428291600013x . S2CID   89128070.