| Bruceomycetaceae | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Lecanoromycetes |
| Order: | Lecanorales |
| Family: | Bruceomycetaceae Rikkinen & A.R.Schmidt (2016) |
| Type genus | |
| Bruceomyces Rikkinen (2012) | |
| Genera | |
Bruceomycetaceae is a small family of fungi in the order Lecanorales. It contains two genera, each of which contains a single species.
The family was circumscribed by lichenologists Jouko Rikkinen and Alexander Roland Schmidt in 2016 to contain the type genus, Bruceomyces , and the genus Resinogalea . Both genera are monotypic–containing a single species. [1] Bruceomyces castoris was originally described by Rikkinen in 2003 as Brucea castoris, [2] but was transferred to the newly circumscribed Bruceomyces in 2012 after it was discovered that Brucea was a junior homonym of a plant genus. The genus name Bruceomyces honours American lichenologist Bruce McCune. [3] Resinogalea humboldtensis was described as a species new to science in 2016. [1]
The authors placed Bruceomyces and Resinogalea in the same family due to their similar physical characteristics, and their similar substrate and habitat ecology. Their dissimilarity in spore structure was the justification for creating a new genus for Resinogalea humboldtensis. The authors were not, however, able to successfully extract DNA from specimens of either genera, and they acknowledge that "inclusion of Bruceomyces and Resinogalea into the same family does not resolve the phylogenetic position of these enigmatic fungi", and they suggest that some morphological similarities with fungi of Coniocybomycetes could warrant further investigation of phylogenetic affinities. Bruceomycetaceae was originally circumscribed without placing it in any lineage at a higher taxonomic level (i.e., Ascomycota incertae sedis); [1] overviews of fungal classification published since then (2018 and 2020) have placed the family in the order Lecanorales. [4] [5]
Bruceomycetaceae species have stalked ascomata that are capitate (i.e., with a distinct compact head termed a capitulum). An excipulum (a ring-shaped layer surrounding the hymenium) is atop the ascoma; it is formed as an extension of the stalk's outer laters. The slender stalk is made of hyphae that are arranged periclinally (parallel to the surface). The asci (spore-bearing structures) are formed with croziers; they are broadly club-shaped with a stalk, containing eight spores that are often arranged in two rows. At maturity, the asci release the ascospores in a powdery mass atop the capitulum. [1]
The structure of the ascospores is the primary characteristic separating genus Bruceomyces from Resinogalea. In the former, they are broadly ellipsoidal with distinct surface ornamentations, while in the latter they are smooth with a biconcave disc structure similar to that of red blood cells. [1]
Bruceomyces castoris was isolated from the sap and chewed wood of beaver teeth scars at the base of living grand fir trees in Oregon, United States. [2] Resinogalea humboldtensis was found growing on the partly-hardened resin of Araucaria humboldtensis in New Caledonia. Both fungi are found in temperate environments that are constantly humid. [1]
Scutula is a genus of lichenicolous fungi in the family Ramalinaceae.
The Arthoniales is the second largest order of mainly crustose lichens, but fruticose lichens are present as well. The order contains around 1500 species, while the largest order with lichenized fungi, the Lecanorales, contains more than 14000 species.
The Mycocaliciaceae are a family of seven genera and about 90 species of fungi in the order Mycocaliciales.
Psilolechia is a genus of four species of crustose lichens. It is the only member of Psilolechiaceae, a family that was created in 2014 to contain this genus.
Bruceomyces is a fungal genus in the family Bruceomycetaceae, containing the single species Bruceomyces castoris.
Chaenothecopsis is a genus of about 40 species of pin lichens in the family Mycocaliciaceae. Many of the species are resinicolous, meaning they grow on conifer resin or other plant exudates. Most common host plants are trees in the genera Abies, Picea, and Tsuga.
The Elixiaceae are a family of lichen-forming fungi in the order Umbilicariales. It contains two genera, Meridianelia, and the type genus, Elixia, which together have a total of three species. The family was circumscribed by lichenologist Helge Thorsten Lumbsch in 1997. The family name honours Australian lichenologist John Alan Elix.
The Caliciaceae are a family of mostly lichen-forming fungi belonging to the class Lecanoromycetes in the division Ascomycota. Although the family has had its classification changed several times throughout its taxonomic history, the use of modern molecular phylogenetic methods have helped to establish its current placement in the order Caliciales. Caliciaceae contains 36 genera and about 600 species. The largest genus is Buellia, with around 300 species; there are more than a dozen genera that contain only a single species.
Sprucidea is a genus of four crustose lichens in the family Malmideaceae. Similar to the related genus Malmidea, Sprucidea is characterized by frequently red thalli that contain the secondary compound norsolorinic acid, but differs in the rod-shaped instead of ellipsoid ascospores and in the stalked sporodochia as conidiomata. Sprucidea species are found in rainforest areas in South America and Southeast Asia.
Notoparmelia is a genus of foliose lichens in the family Parmeliaceae. It includes 18 species that grow on bark and rocks, and are mostly distributed in the Southern Hemisphere. The genus was created in 2014 as a segregate of Parmelia.
Neoprotoparmelia is a genus of crustose lichens that was created in 2018. It contains 24 tropical and subtropical species that mostly grow on bark. Neoprotoparmelia is in the subfamily Protoparmelioideae of the family Parmeliaceae, along with the morphologically similar genera Protoparmelia and Maronina.
Trapeliaceae is a family of lichens in the order Baeomycetales. The family contains 12 genera and about 125 species.
Roccellinastrum is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Pilocarpaceae. It has seven species.
Solenopsora is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Catillariaceae. It has 15 species, with a mostly Northern Hemisphere distribution.
Schaereria is a genus of lichen-forming fungi. It is the sole genus in the family Schaereriaceae, which itself is the only family in the Schaereriales, an order in the subclass Ostropomycetidae of the class Lecanoromycetes.
Roccellographaceae is a family of lichen-forming fungi in the order Arthoniales. It contains three genera: Dimidiographa, Fulvophyton, and Roccellographa.
Resinogalea is a single-species fungus genus in the family Bruceomycetaceae. Both the genus and its species Resinogalea humboldtensis were described as new to science in 2016 by Jouko Rikkinen and Alexander Schmidt. The fungus, found in New Caledonia, grows on the semi-hardened resin exuded by the endemic tree species Araucaria humboldtensis.
Brunneocarpos is a fungal genus in the family Mycocaliciaceae. It is a monotypic genus, containing the single species Brunneocarpos banksiae. The fungus grows on the cones of Banksia plants in Australia.
Massalongiaceae is a small family of lichen-forming fungi in the order Peltigerales. It has three genera and seven species.
Sagiolechiaceae is a small family of lichen-forming fungi in the order Ostropales. It contains two genera, Rhexophiale, and Sagiolechia, the type genus. The family was circumscribed in 2010 by lichenologists Elisabeth Baloch, Robert Lücking, H. Thorsten Lumbsch, and Mats Wedin. Molecular phylogenetic analysis showed that the two genera formed a distinct clade in Ostropales. Four species were included in the original circumscription of the family.