Briancoppinsia

Briancoppinsia
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Fungi
Division:	Ascomycota
Class:	Arthoniomycetes
Order:	Arthoniales
Family:	Arthoniaceae
Genus:	Briancoppinsia ; Diederich, Ertz, Lawrey & van den Boom (2012)
Species:	B. cytospora
Binomial name
	Briancoppinsia cytospora; (Vouaux) Diederich, Ertz, Lawrey & van den Boom (2012)
Synonyms
	Phyllosticta cytosporaVouaux (1914); Phoma cytospora(Vouaux) D.Hawksw. (1976);

Last updated December 06, 2024

Briancoppinsia is a fungal genus in the family Arthoniaceae. It is monotypic,^[2] containing the single species Briancoppinsia cytospora, a lichenicolous fungus that parasitises parmelioid lichens, as well as Cladonia , Lepra , and Lecanora conizaeoides , among others.^[3] The species was first described scientifically by Léon Vouaux in 1914 as Phyllosticta cytospora.^[4]

Taxonomy

The genus was circumscribed in 2012 by Paul Diederich, Damien Ertz, James Lawrey, and Pieter van den Boom. The genus was named for Brian John Coppins, who is, according to the authors, an "eminent British lichenologist and expert of lichenicolous fungi".^[5]

Description

Rather than forming its own visible body (thallus), Briancoppinsia cytospora grows on other lichens—a condition known as being lichenicolous. It is most commonly found on members of the family Parmeliaceae, including genera such as Evernia , Hypogymnia , and Parmelia , and occasionally on Lecanora species. Infected host lichens often display some degree of tissue damage (necrosis).^[6]

Briancoppinsia cytospora does not produce ascomata (the typical fruiting bodies seen in many other lichen fungi). Instead, it reproduces through tiny, spherical spore-producing structures called pycnidia. These pycnidia, which measure approximately 50–80 μm across, are partially embedded in the host's thallus or in the host's own reproductive structures. They are dark brown to black and roughly ball-shaped, with their base slightly flattened. When young, each pycnidium has a small, pinpoint-like opening (ostiole). As it matures, this opening can enlarge to the point where it becomes as wide as the pycnidium itself, revealing the white, spore-containing interior. Unlike similar fungi, Briancoppinsia cytospora does not release its spores in visible, white drops.^[6]

The wall of the pycnidium is relatively thin (5–7 μm) and made up of tightly packed, short fungal filaments. Chemical tests show that this wall turns a dark olive colour when treated with potassium (K), and a mixture of iodine (I) and potassium iodine (K/I) solutions causes the gel inside the pycnidium to stain red. Within the pycnidium, the spore-producing cells (conidiogenous cells) line the inner cavity. These cells are colourless, shaped like short flasks, and do not grow additional cells after they release their spores.^[6]

The spores (conidia) themselves are abundant and measure roughly 5–7 μm in length and 1.6–2.0 μm in width. They are usually elongated and slightly curved, with a rounded tip and a squared-off base. The conidia are colourless, do not have internal dividers (aseptate), and their walls are thin and smooth. They do not contain noticeable oil droplets.^[6]

In appearance, the fungal colonies of Briancoppinsia cytospora growing on Evernia may resemble other lichen-inhabiting fungi. For example, Phoma everniae produces smaller pycnidia and spores, while Everniicola flexispora has strongly curved, one-septate spores. However, these similar fungi are poorly understood, and their relationships to Briancoppinsia are not yet clear.^[6]

Habitat and distribution

In the United Kingdom, Briancoppinsia cytospora has been reported in southern England, west Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, where it can be found subtly embedded within the tissues of its host lichens.^[6]

Related Research Articles

The Arthoniaceae are a family of lichenized, lichenicolous and saprobic fungi in the order Arthoniales. The Arthoniaceae is the largest family of Arthoniales, with around 800 species. Most species in Arthoniaceae belong in Arthonia which is the largest genus with 500 species. The second and third largest genus is Arthothelium with 80 species, and Cryptothecia with 60 species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Verrucariales</span> Order of fungi

Verrucariales is an order of ascomycetous fungi within the subclass Chaetothyriomycetidae of the class Eurotiomycetes. Although most of the Verrucariales are lichenised, the family Sarcopyreniaceae consists of 11 species of lichenicolous (lichen-dwelling) fungi.

Sphaerellothecium is a genus of fungi in the family Phyllachoraceae. All of the species in the genus are lichenicolous, meaning they grow parasitically on lichens.

Tylophoron is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Arthoniaceae. It comprises seven species of crustose lichens, most of which occur in tropical regions.

Phacopsis is a genus of lichenicolous (lichen-dwelling) fungi. They are parasites of members of the large lichen family Parmeliaceae, of which they are also a member. Originally proposed by Edmond Tulasne in 1852 to contain 3 species, Phacopsis now contains 10 species, although historically, 33 taxa have been described in the genus. Many of the species are poorly known, some of them having been documented only from the type specimen.

Brian John Coppins is a botanist and lichenologist, considered a world authority on crustose lichens and a leading expert on the genus Micarea.

Lecanographaceae is a family of mostly lichens in the order Arthoniales. The family was circumscribed in 2014, prompted by a molecular phylogenetic-based restructuring of the Arthoniales.

Lichenosticta is a genus of fungi of uncertain familial placement in the order Lecanorales. It has five species. All species are lichenicolous, meaning they are parasitic on lichens.

Lichenostigmatales is an order of fungi in the class Arthoniomycetes. It contains the single family Phaeococcomycetaceae. Lichenostigmatales was circumscribed in 2014 by Damien Ertz, Paul Diederich, and James D. Lawrey, with genus Lichenostigma assigned as the type. Using molecular phylogenetics, they identified a lineage of taxa in the Arthoniomycetes that were phylogenetically distinct from the order Arthoniales. Species in the Lichenostigmatales include black yeasts, lichenicolous, and melanised rock-inhabiting species.

Inoderma is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Arthoniaceae. It was resurrected for use in 2015 for a small group of species with the following features: elevated, white pruinose pycnidia, immersed to adnate white pruinose apothecia, and a weakly gelatinized hymenium. Inoderma byssaceum was assigned as the type species for the genus.

James Donald Lawrey is a biologist, specializing in lichens. He is known for leading long-term monitoring projects, taxonomy and studies of the evolution of the fungi in lichens.

Bryostigma is a genus of fungi of uncertain familial placement in the order Arthoniales. The genus is characterised by its thin, patchy growth that either partially embeds into its growing surface or forms an irregular, granular surface, with distinctive red or blue iodine staining of its hyphae and very small fruiting bodies. Most Bryostigma species are parasitic (lichenicolous), growing on other lichens, though a few species like B. lapidicola grow independently on stone or moss. While the genus was initially established with a single species growing on moss, it was significantly expanded in 2020 when several species were transferred from the related genus Arthonia based on DNA analysis, though this taxonomic reclassification has been subject to some scientific dispute. As of 2024, the genus includes seventeen species – thirteen parasitic and four independent lichen species.

Reichlingia is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Arthoniaceae. It has seven species. The genus was originally circumscribed by Paul Diederich and Christoph Scheidegger in 1996, with Reichlingia leopoldii as the type, and at that time, only species. The fungus was at first thought to be a lichenicolous (lichen-dwelling) fungus, but is now considered a lichenised hyphomycete.

Baidera is a single-species fungal genus in the family Roccellaceae. It contains the species Baidera mauritiana, a corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen found in Mauritius. Both the genus and species were described as new to science in 2020 by Paul Diederich and Damien Ernst. The genus name honours Cláudia Baider, curator of the Mauritius Herbarium.

Fulvophyton is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Roccellographaceae. It has 11 species. Fulvophyton is characterised by its crust-like thallus, which is often pale yellowish-brown in colour. This genus features a photobiont from the green algal genus Trentepohlia and exhibits a unique arrangement of reproductive structures.

Polycoccaceae is a family of lichenicolous (lichen-dwelling) fungi in the order Trypetheliales. The family was circumscribed in 2015 by Damien Ertz, Josef Hafellner, and Paul Diederich. Molecular phylogenetic analysis shows Polycoccaceae to have a sister relationship with the family Trypetheliaceae.

Phacographa is a genus of lichenicolous (lichen-dwelling) fungi in the family Roccellaceae. It has three species.

Callome is a fungal genus in the family Collemataceae. It consists of the single species Callome multipartita, a saxicolous (rock-dwelling), crustose lichen found in Northern Africa, Europe, and North America.

Arthonia radiata, the asterisk lichen, is a common and widepspread species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Arthoniaceae.

References

↑ "Synonymy. Current Name: Briancoppinsia cytospora (Vouaux) Diederich, Ertz, Lawrey & van den Boom, in Diederich, Lawrey, Sikaroodi, van den Boom & Ertz, Fungal Diversity 52(1): 8 (2012)". Species Fungorum . Retrieved 18 November 2022.
↑ Wijayawardene, N.N.; Hyde, K.D.; Dai, D.Q.; Sánchez-García, M.; Goto, B.T.; Saxena, R.K.; et al. (2022). "Outline of Fungi and fungus-like taxa – 2021". Mycosphere. 13 (1): 53–453. doi: 10.5943/mycosphere/13/1/2 . hdl: 10481/76378 . S2CID 249054641.
↑ Diederich, Paul; Lawrey, James D.; Ertz, Damien (2018). "The 2018 classification and checklist of lichenicolous fungi, with 2000 non-lichenized, obligately lichenicolous taxa". The Bryologist. 121 (3): 340–425 [350]. doi:10.1639/0007-2745-121.3.340. S2CID 92396850.
↑ Vouaux, L. (1914). "Synopsis des champignons parasites de lichens". Bulletin de la Société Mycologique de France (in French). 30: 135–198 [193].
1 2 Diederich, P.; Lawrey, J.D.; Sikaroodi, M.; van den Boom, P.; Ertz, D. (2012). "Briancoppinsia, a new coelomycetous genus of Arthoniaceae (Arthoniales) for the lichenicolous Phoma cytospora, with a key to this and similar taxa". Fungal Diversity. 52 (1): 1–12. doi:10.1007/s13225-011-0105-1.
1 2 3 4 5 6 Cannon, P.; Ertz, D.; Frisch, A.; Aptroot, A.; Chambers, S.; Coppins, B.; Sanderson, N.; Simkin, J.; Wolselsey, P. (2020). Arthoniales: Arthoniaceae, including the genera Arthonia, Arthothelium, Briancoppinsia, Bryostigma, Coniocarpon, Diarthonis, Inoderma, Naevia, Pachnolepia, Reichlingia, Snippocia, Sporodophoron, Synarthonia and Tylophoron. Revisions of British and Irish Lichens. Vol. 1. p. 6. doi: 10.34885/173 .

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[Species_Fungorum_synonymy-1] "Synonymy. Current Name: Briancoppinsia cytospora (Vouaux) Diederich, Ertz, Lawrey & van den Boom, in Diederich, Lawrey, Sikaroodi, van den Boom & Ertz, Fungal Diversity 52(1): 8 (2012)". Species Fungorum . Retrieved 18 November 2022.

[Wijayawardene_et_al._2022-2] Wijayawardene, N.N.; Hyde, K.D.; Dai, D.Q.; Sánchez-García, M.; Goto, B.T.; Saxena, R.K.; et al. (2022). "Outline of Fungi and fungus-like taxa – 2021". Mycosphere. 13 (1): 53–453. doi: 10.5943/mycosphere/13/1/2 . hdl: 10481/76378 . S2CID 249054641.

[Diederich_et_al._2018-3] Diederich, Paul; Lawrey, James D.; Ertz, Damien (2018). "The 2018 classification and checklist of lichenicolous fungi, with 2000 non-lichenized, obligately lichenicolous taxa". The Bryologist. 121 (3): 340–425 [350]. doi:10.1639/0007-2745-121.3.340. S2CID 92396850.

[Vouaux_1914-4] Vouaux, L. (1914). "Synopsis des champignons parasites de lichens". Bulletin de la Société Mycologique de France (in French). 30: 135–198 [193].

[Diederich_et_al._2012-5] 1 2 Diederich, P.; Lawrey, J.D.; Sikaroodi, M.; van den Boom, P.; Ertz, D. (2012). "Briancoppinsia, a new coelomycetous genus of Arthoniaceae (Arthoniales) for the lichenicolous Phoma cytospora, with a key to this and similar taxa". Fungal Diversity. 52 (1): 1–12. doi:10.1007/s13225-011-0105-1.

[Cannon_et_al._2020-6] 1 2 3 4 5 6 Cannon, P.; Ertz, D.; Frisch, A.; Aptroot, A.; Chambers, S.; Coppins, B.; Sanderson, N.; Simkin, J.; Wolselsey, P. (2020). Arthoniales: Arthoniaceae, including the genera Arthonia, Arthothelium, Briancoppinsia, Bryostigma, Coniocarpon, Diarthonis, Inoderma, Naevia, Pachnolepia, Reichlingia, Snippocia, Sporodophoron, Synarthonia and Tylophoron. Revisions of British and Irish Lichens. Vol. 1. p. 6. doi: 10.34885/173 .

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