Collemopsidium

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Collemopsidium
2015-08-10 Collemopsidium foveolatum (A.L. Sm.) F. Mohr 545932.jpg
Collemopsidium foveolatum on barnacles in Lourinhã, Portugal. The fungus is visible as black dots on the shell.
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Ascomycota
Class: Dothideomycetes
Order: Collemopsidiales
Family: Xanthopyreniaceae
Genus: Collemopsidium
Nyl. (1881)
Type species
Collemopsidium iocarpum
(Nyl.) Nyl. (1881)
Species

18 species; see text

Synonyms [1]

Collemopsidium is a genus of fungi in the family Xanthopyreniaceae. [3] Some members of this genus are marine species, and described as "borderline lichens" or "algicolous" fungi. [4]

Contents

Taxonomy

The genus was circumscribed by the Finnish lichenologist William Nylander in 1881, with Collemopsidium iocarpum assigned as the type species. [5]

Description

Species of Collemopsidium form what are known as "borderline lichens" – relatively loose symbiotic associations between fungi and photosynthetic partners. The fungal portion develops an extremely thin thallus (body) that can either grow on the surface of the substrate or be completely embedded within it. When growing on the surface, the thallus appears orange-brown, smooth, and shiny. Some species may develop black carbonaceous (blackened) ridges. [6]

The photosynthetic partner is typically Hyella caespitosa , a type of cyanobacterium that contains an orange pigment. While this cyanobacterium normally grows as filaments when living freely on mollusk shells, within the lichen partnership it usually exists as single cells measuring 3–10 micrometres in diameter. These cells may be evenly scattered throughout the thallus or concentrated in clumps, giving the lichen a blotchy appearance. In some specimens growing on shells or limestone, the photosynthetic partner may be absent. [6]

The fungal reproductive structures (ascomata) can occur either singly or in groups and feature a black carbonaceous protective covering ( involucrellum ). Each reproductive structure contains spore-producing sacs (asci) with eight spores that are divided into two cells (one-septate). The internal structure includes intricately branched and persistent thread-like filaments ( pseudoparaphyses ). The species also commonly produce smaller spore-containing structures called pycnidia, which externally resemble miniature versions of the main reproductive structures. No secondary metabolite have been detected in these lichens. [6]

Habitat and distribution

Collemopsidium species are nearly cosmopolitan in distribution, occurring along tropical, subtropical, temperate, and arctic coastlines in both hemispheres. They display considerable tolerance to variations in temperature and salinity. These lichens can be found in the eulittoral (intertidal) and littoral fringe zones, growing on both siliceous and calcareous rock as well as on the shells of various marine organisms. [7] Records show they colonise at least 61 different species of molluscs and barnacles, mostly in the intertidal zone, though some host species like periwinkles ( Littorina ) can live quite high in the littoral fringe. [7]

The substrate significantly influences their growth patterns. On siliceous rock, the thallus always grows on the surface, and the reproductive structures remain above the substrate. On calcareous rock and shells, the thallus may grow either on the surface or become embedded within the substrate, with reproductive structures that can be either surface-level or immersed. Different forms are commonly found growing side by side on the same substrate. [7] While the lichens do not appear to harm their living substrates, they can alter the nature of shell matrices, sometimes affecting shell appearance to such an extent that it causes taxonomic confusion in limpet species. [7]

Limestone shores typically show less distinct zonation of lichens in the eulittoral and littoral fringe zones compared to siliceous shores, and display lower species diversity. However, Collemopsidium species often achieve higher coverage on limestone shores due to their ability to grow within the substrate, allowing them to persist despite erosion. [6]

Species

The perithecia of the "borderline lichen" species C. sublitorale appear as black dots on the surface of barnacle shells. Collemopsidium sublitorale 62764706.jpg
The perithecia of the "borderline lichen" species C. sublitorale appear as black dots on the surface of barnacle shells.

As of January 2025, Species Fungorum (in the Catalogue of Life) accept 18 species. of Collemopsidium: [8]

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<i>Collemopsidium sublitorale</i> Species of lichen

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<i>Collemopsidium foveolatum</i> Species of lichen

Collemopsidium foveolatum is a species of lichen in the family Xanthopyreniaceae. It is a marine lichen that grows entirely embedded within calcareous substrates in the intertidal zone, particularly on limestone rocks and marine shells. The species is characterised by its minute, black, sunken reproductive structures that measure 0.10–0.24 mm in diameter and create small pits in the substrate. First described in 1911 from specimens collected in England, it has since been documented along coastlines in western Europe, North America and North Africa. The species can be distinguished from similar marine lichens by its consistently small, deeply embedded perithecia and its ability to maintain stable growth by keeping pace with natural substrate erosion.

References

  1. ↑ "Synonymy. Current Name: Collemopsidium Nyl., Flora, Regensburg 64: 6 (1881)". Species Fungorum . Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  2. ↑ Bachmann, E. (1919). "Der Thallus der Kalkflechten mit Chroolepus-, Scytonema- und Xanthocapsa-Gonidien". Nova Acta Academiae Caesareae Leopoldino-Carolinae Germanicae Naturae Curiosorum (in German). 105 (1): 1–80 [65].
  3. ↑ 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 .
  4. 1 2 Khodosovtsev, Olexander Ye.; Darmostuk, Valeriy V. (2017). "Collemopsidium kostikovii sp. nov., a new algicolous fungus on terricolous cyanobacteria crust from Ukraine". Ukrainskiy Botanichnyi Zhurnal. 74 (5): 431–434. doi: 10.15407/ukrbotj74.05.431 .
  5. 1 2 Nylander, W. (1881). "Addenda nova ad Lichenographiam europaeam. Contin. XXXV". Flora (Regensburg) (in Latin). 64: 2–8.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Pérez-Ortega, Sergio; Garrido-Benavent, Isaac; Grube, Martin; Olmo, Rocío; de los Ríos, Asunción (2016). "Hidden diversity of marine borderline lichens and a new order of fungi: Collemopsidiales (Dothideomyceta)". Fungal Diversity. 80 (1): 285–300. doi:10.1007/s13225-016-0361-1.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Mohr, Fiona; Ekman, Stefan; Heegaard, Einar (2004). "Evolution and taxonomy of the marine Collemopsidium species (lichenized Ascomycota) in north-west Europe". Mycological Research. 108 (5): 515–532. doi:10.1017/S095375620400992X.
  8. ↑ "Collemopsidium". Catalogue of Life . Species 2000: Leiden, the Netherlands. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
  9. ↑ Nordin, A. (2002). "Collemopsidium angermannicum, a widespread but rarely collected aquatic lichen". Graphis Scripta. 13 (2): 39–41.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 Coppins, Brian J.; Aptroot, André (2008). "New species and combinations in The Lichens of the British Isles". The Lichenologist. 40 (05): 363–374. doi:10.1017/S0024282908008165.
  11. ↑ Grube, M. (2005). "Frigidopyrenia – a new genus for a peculiar subarctic lichen, with notes on similar taxa". Phyton. 45 (2): 305–318.
  12. ↑ Øvstedal, D.O.; Gremmen, N.J.M. (2010). "Additional lichen records from Subantarctica. 2. New taxa and combinations from Îles Kerguelen, Prince Edward Islands and Heard Island" (PDF). Australasian Lichenology. 67: 29–33.
  13. ↑ Harada, H.; Okamoto, T.; Yoshimura, I. (2004). "A Checklist of Lichens and Lichen-allies of Japan". Lichenology. 2 (2): 47–166 [127].
  14. ↑ Diederich, Paul; Ertz, Damien (2020). "First checklist of lichens and lichenicolous fungi from Mauritius, with phylogenetic analyses and description of new taxa". Plant and Fungal Systematics. 65 (1): 13–75 [33]. doi: 10.35535/pfsyst-2020-0003 .
  15. 1 2 McCarthy, P.M. (2009). "New combinations of Australian Collemopsidium Nyl. (Ascomycota, Xanthopyreniaceae)". Australasian Lichenology. 65: 3.
  16. ↑ Dodge, C.W.; Rudolph, E.D. (1955). "Lichenological notes on the flora of the Antarctic Continent and the subantarctic islands. I-IV". Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden. 42 (2): 131–149 [133].
  17. ↑ Grube, -M.; Ryan, B.D. (2002). "Collemopsidium". In Nash, T.H.; Ryan, B.D.; Gries, C.; Bungartz, F. (eds.). Lichen Flora of the Greater Sonoran Desert Region. Vol. 1. Lichens Unlimited. p. 163.
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