| Astrothelium conjugatum | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Dothideomycetes |
| Order: | Trypetheliales |
| Family: | Trypetheliaceae |
| Genus: | Astrothelium |
| Species: | A. conjugatum |
| Binomial name | |
| Astrothelium conjugatum | |
Astrothelium conjugatum is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling) crustose lichen in the family Trypetheliaceae, first described in 2016. [1] It is known to occur in Sri Lanka.
The species was formally described in 2016 by lichenologists Gothamie Weerakoon and André Aptroot. The type specimen was collected in Rilhena, Sri Lanka.
Astrothelium conjugatum is characterized by its ascomata, which are pyriform and arranged with 2–8 chambers joined with eccentric, fused ostioles. Typically, 3–10 fused ascomata are grouped within one pseudostroma . The pseudostromata are about 1–5 mm in diameter, erumpent to prominent, with an irregularly lobate to linear outline. They are completely covered by a thallus layer that is thick and opaque at the sides. The top of the pseudostromata can be similar in appearance or thinner and translucent, in which case the black ascoma wall is visible through it. The thallus itself is corticate , pale yellowish brown, rather smooth, covering areas of up to 7 cm (2.8 in) in diameter, and lacks a prothallus. Ascomata are about 0.5–0.7 mm in diameter. The hamathecium is clearly but sparsely interspersed with hyaline oil droplets. The ascospores have an astrothelioid form. They are hyaline, 3-septate, fusiform to ellipsoid in shape, measuring 20–25 by 6.5–7.5 μm, and have diamond-shaped lumina when mature. Pycnidia were not observed to occur in the species. [2]
The thallus and pseudostroma of Astrothelium conjugatum react UV− and K− in chemical spot tests, and thin-layer chromatography did not detect any lichen products. [2]
This species is closely related to Astrothelium straminicolor , which is found in India, Malaysia, and Sarawak. The primary distinguishing feature of A. conjugatum is the presence of a thallus layer on top of the pseudostromata, a feature absent in A. straminicolor. [2]
Astrothelium conjugatum is known only from its type locality in Sri Lanka, where it was found on tree bark in a wet lowland tropical rainforest. [2]
Astrothelium aeneoides is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Trypetheliaceae. It is found in Brazil, Guyana, and Puerto Rico, where it grows on the smooth bark of rainforest trees.
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 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 novemseptatum is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling) lichen in the family Trypetheliaceae. It was first identified in Brazil, and has since been found in Guyana and Colombia. The lichen is characterized by its corticate, smooth, and somewhat shiny thallus, as well as its pyriform ascomata.
Astrothelium ochroleucoides is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling) lichen in the family Trypetheliaceae. It is found in Brazil and Guyana.
Astrothelium xanthosuperbum is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling) lichen in the family Trypetheliaceae. It is found in Rondônia, Brazil. The species is characterized by its large muriform ascospores and is similar in appearance to Astrothelium disjunctum.
Lecanactis minutissima is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Roccellaceae. Found in Sri Lanka, the lichen is characterised by its pale ochraceous thallus and sessile apothecia with dark brown discs, covered with thick white granular pruina.
Megalotremis cylindrica is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), lichen in the family Monoblastiaceae. It was described as a new species in 2016 based on a specimen collected from the Sinharaja Forest Reserve in Sri Lanka. The species is characterized by its unique pycnidia and absence of ascomata.
Viridothelium leptoseptatum is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Trypetheliaceae, first described in 2016. Found in Brazil, it resembles Astrothelium aeneum but differs in several key aspects, including the absence of pigment on the thallus and specific features of its ascospores.
Trypethelium luteolucidum is a species of lichen in the family Trypetheliaceae, first formally described in 2016. Found in Brazil and Mexico, it is similar to Trypethelium regnellii, but differs by the presence of anthraquinone crystals in the pseudostromata.
Schistophoron muriforme is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Graphidaceae, first described in 2016. Found in Sri Lanka, it is characterised by its pale yellowish-white thallus and muriformascospores.
Pyrenula multicolorata is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Pyrenulaceae, first described in 2016. It is distinguished by its almost superficial ascomata with a hamathecium inspersed with orange crystals, and ascospores that contain three internal partitions (septa).
Psoroglaena spinosa is a species of lichen in the family Verrucariaceae, first described in 2016. It is characterized by its small fruticose (bushy) thallus, which is corticate, smooth, dull, and bright green, covering small areas and consisting of tiny squamules that branch into somewhat moniliform threads.
Porina monilisidiata is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Trichotheliaceae, first described in 2016. This species is characterised by its shiny, olive-green thallus with numerous isidia and low conical ascomata.
Porina microtriseptata is a species of corticolous, crustose lichen in the family Trichotheliaceae, first described in 2016. This species is distinguished by its shiny, olive-green thallus and hemispherical ascomata with pointed ascospores that are consistently hyaline, fusiform, and have three internal partitions (septa).
Astrothelium rubrocrystallinum is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Trypetheliaceae, first described in 2016. It is found in Brazil.
Astrothelium graphicum is a species of lichen in the family Trypetheliaceae. This lichen features an extended, reticulate pseudostroma that is lower than its slightly bullate thallus.