| Bezerroplaca | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Lecanoromycetes |
| Order: | Graphidales |
| Family: | Gomphillaceae |
| Genus: | Bezerroplaca Xavier-Leite, M.Cáceres & Lücking (2023) |
| Type species | |
| Bezerroplaca lucernifera | |
| Species | |
B. fusconitida Contents | |
Bezerroplaca is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Gomphillaceae. [1] It has five species of tropical lichens that grow on living leaves. [2]
The genus Bezerroplaca was established in 2023 by Amanda Xavier-Leite, Marcela Cáceres, and Robert Lücking. It is named in honour of José Luiz Bezerra for his contributions to the study of leaf-dwelling lichens in Brazil. Five species are recognised in the genus. These species were previously classified in the genus Echinoplaca , but were separated based on their unique combination of characteristics, particularly their bell-shaped clusters of reproductive filaments and sperm-like end segments. [3]
These tiny lichens form a continuous, slightly warty layer on leaf surfaces, dotted with scattered white bristles. One of their most distinctive features is their specialised reproductive structures ( hyphophores ), which are white bristles with darkened tips. These bristles produce unique bell-shaped bunches of thread-like filaments ( diahyphae ) that have distinctive sperm-shaped end segments. [3]
Their main reproductive structures (apothecia) appear as flat, dark spots on the surface, ranging from brown to black in colour. Under the microscope, these structures show brown colouration in both their lower layers ( hypothecium ) and upper layers ( epithecium ), and produce spores that are divided into multiple compartments both lengthwise and crosswise ( muriform spores). [3]
The Gomphillaceae are a family of lichen-forming fungi in the order Graphidales. Species in this family are found mostly in tropical regions. The family underwent a major molecular phylogenetics-led reorganisation in 2023, in which 17 genera were recognised and formally established as new or reinstated.
Mazosia is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Roccellaceae.
Gomphillus is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Gomphillaceae.
André Aptroot is a Dutch mycologist and lichenologist. His primary research focus is on biodiversity, particularly tropical lichens, encompassing systematics, floristic surveys, and taxonomic reviews. A prolific researcher, he has published more than 500 scientific papers and described hundreds of new fungal and lichen species.
Taitaia is a single-species fungal genus in the family Gomphillaceae. It was circumscribed in 2018 to contain the species Taitaia aurea, a lichenicolous (lichen-dwelling) fungus. This species is characterized by aggregated ascomata with yellow margins, and salmon-red discs that originate from a single base. It is known only from a few sites in Kenya's tropical lower-mountain forests, where it grows on thalli of the lichen Crocodia.
Swinscowia is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Strigulaceae. It has 34 species. Swinscowia was proposed in 2020 by lichenologists Shu-Hua Jiang, Robert Lücking, and Emmanuël Sérusiaux to contain non-foliicolous species that were isolated from bark and rocks. Swinscowia jamesii, a species that was originally described in genus Geisleria, and later transferred to Strigula, is the type species of the genus. The genus name honours British lichenologist Dougal Swinscow, who originally described the type species in 1967.
Graphidales is an order of lichen-forming fungi in the class Lecanoromycetes. It contains 6 families, about 81 genera and about 2,228 species. Family Graphidaceae are the largest crustose family within Graphidales order comprising more than 2000 species, which are widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of the world.
Clandestinotrema is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Graphidaceae. It has 18 species. They typically inhabit montane and cloud forest at higher elevations in the tropics.
Gyalideopsis aptrootii is a species of corticolous lichen in the family Gomphillaceae. Found in southern Brazil, it was described as a new species in 2018. Defining features of this lichen include the unique crescent-shaped structure of its hyphophores, the single-spored asci, and the relatively small size of the ascospores.
Microtheliopsis is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Microtheliopsidaceae. It comprises four species of foliicolous (leaf-dwelling) crustose lichens.
Adelphomyces is a genus of lichenicolous (lichen-dwelling) fungi in the family Gomphillaceae. It comprises three species.
Aptrootidea is a genus of fungi in the family Gomphillaceae. It has six species of leaf-dwelling (foliicolous) lichens.
Aulaxinella is a genus of fungi in the family Gomphillaceae. It comprises three species that primarily grow on living leaves (foliicolous), though rarely some species can be found on tree bark (corticolous).
Batistomyces is a small genus of fungi in the family Gomphillaceae. It has two species of leaf-dwelling (foliicolous) lichens. These microlichens form very thin layers on the surface of leaves, appearing to the naked eye as small, fuzzy dark patches due to their numerous short black bristles.
Vezdamyces is a small genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Gomphillaceae. It comprises two species of leaf-dwelling lichens that grow in tropical forests.
Verruciplaca is a small genus of fungi in the family Gomphillaceae. It comprises two species of leaf-dwelling lichens.
Spinomyces is a genus of fungi in the family Gomphillaceae. It has six species of leaf-dwelling lichens.
Sipmanidea is a small genus of fungi in the family Gomphillaceae. It comprises two species of leaf-dwelling lichens.
Roselviria is a small genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Gomphillaceae. It has two species of leaf-dwelling lichens.
Caleniella is a small genus of fungi in the family Gomphillaceae. It comprises two species of leaf-dwelling lichens.