Flabelloporina

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Flabelloporina
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Ascomycota
Class: Lecanoromycetes
Order: Gyalectales
Family: Porinaceae
Genus: Flabelloporina
Sobreira, M.Cáceres & Lücking (2018)
Species:
F. squamulifera
Binomial name
Flabelloporina squamulifera
(Breuss, Lücking & E.Navarro) Sobreira, M.Cáceres & Lücking (2018)
Synonyms [1]
  • Porina squamuliferaBreuss, Lücking & E.Navarro (2013)

Flabelloporina is a fungal genus in the family Porinaceae. [2] It consists of a single species, Flabelloporina squamulifera, which grows on tree bark in tropical rainforests. The lichen was first discovered in Costa Rica in 2013 and later found in Brazil, suggesting it may be more widespread in South and Central American wet forests. Flabelloporina is distinguished by its unique thallus (lichen body) structure, which produces numerous small, fan-shaped outgrowths called squamules . These structures, along with its black fruiting bodies and internal features, set it apart from related lichens. Originally classified in the genus Porina , genetic analysis in 2018 revealed it to be distinct, leading to the creation of the new genus Flabelloporina. The lichen typically inhabits the lower levels of humid forests, where it can sometimes extensively cover individual tree trunks.

Contents

Taxonomy

The species Porina squamulifera was originally scientifically described in 2013 by the lichenologists Othmar Breuss, Robert Lücking, and Enia Navarro. The type specimen was collected by Navarro in 2002 from the Pacific La Amistad Conservation Area in Puntarenas Province. Although placed in the genus Porina, the authors noted that the thallus morphology was "hitherto unknown within the family, since only species with cylindrical or disc-shaped isidia have been described". [3]

Genus Flabelloporina was proposed in 2018 by Priscylla Sobreira, Marcela Cáceres, and Lücking to accommodate the species. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of the mitochondrial small subunit (mtSSU) ribosomal DNA revealed that F. squamulifera forms a distinct lineage separate from other genera with black, exposed perithecia (fruiting bodies) such as Pseudosagedia and Trichothelium . [4]

The genus name Flabelloporina refers to the distinctive flabelliform (fan-shaped) squamules produced on the thallus surface, which distinguish it morphologically from all other genera in Porinaceae. Other diagnostic features include the black, exposed perithecia lacking a thalline cover, and transversely septate ascospores. Flabelloporina falls within one of two major clades recovered in phylogenetic analyses of Porinaceae, specifically the clade containing taxa with perithecia covered by thallus tissue (with some exceptions). [4]

Originally discovered in Costa Rica, F. squamulifera was subsequently found in Brazil, suggesting it may be more widespread in Neotropical wet forests. The genus represents one of approximately 15 genus-level lineages identified within Porinaceae based on molecular data. This higher-level classification correlates well with morphological traits and substrate ecology across the family, which contains over 300 species. Further sampling may reveal additional diversity within Flabelloporina as more tropical forest habitats are surveyed for crustose lichens. [4]

Description

Flabelloporina primarily grows on tree bark (corticolous) but can also occasionally be found on rocks (saxicolous). The thallus forms a smooth, thin layer that can be up to 5 cm wide. It ranges in colour from greyish-green to yellowish or olive-green and has a shiny surface. The edges of the thallus are bordered by a dark violet to black prothallus, which is a distinct outline that extends beneath the thallus as a hypothallus—a thin, black layer visible around the edges, about 0.5–1 mm wide. The thallus itself is 60–80  μm thick, with a thin, colourless outer layer (upper cortex ) composed of tightly packed fungal filaments (hyphae). Below this is a layer containing green algae ( photobiont ) from the genus Trentepohlia , which provides the lichen with energy through photosynthesis. [3] One of the key features of Flabelloporina is its production of phyllidia —small, leaf-like structures that aid in reproduction. These phyllidia are semi-circular to fan-shaped, thin, and delicate, often forming in clusters on the surface of the thallus. They are 0.3–1.0 mm wide and 0.2–0.6 mm long, although larger phyllidia up to 3 mm wide and 2 mm long can develop. The phyllidia have smooth or slightly notched ( crenulate ) edges, become branched with age, and are easily detached from the thallus, allowing the lichen to spread. [3]

The reproductive structures of Flabelloporina include perithecia, which are small, round fruiting bodies that produce spores. These are dark brown to black, measuring 0.25–0.35 mm in diameter, and can sometimes contain multiple spore chambers. The wall of the perithecia contains a distinctive violet pigment called Pseudosagedia-violet. The spores are contained in sac-like structures (asci), which are 80–100 μm long and spindle-shaped ( fusiform ). Each ascus holds eight spores, which are oblong and divided into three compartments (3-septate), measuring 15–20 μm long and 3–4 μm wide. The spores are colourless and translucent (hyaline). No lichen products were detected through thin-layer chromatography, except for the violet pigment found in the perithecial walls. The genus does not produce pycnidia (asexual reproductive structures). [3]

Habitat and distribution

Flabelloporina squamulifera is a corticolous (bark-dwelling) lichen species found in tropical rainforest environments. It was originally discovered in Costa Rica, specifically in the Pacific La Amistad Conservation Area, Las Tablas Protected Zone, at an elevation of 1,600–1,700 m (5,200–5,600 ft) above sea level. [4]

Its known range was significantly expanded when it was later found in Brazil, in the Atlantic rainforest remnant of Estação Biológica Santa Lúcia, Santa Teresa, Espírito Santo state. This Brazilian location is at a lower elevation of about 650 m (2,130 ft) above sea level. The considerable distance between these two sites suggests that F. squamulifera may have a broader distribution across Neotropical wet forests than initially thought. [4]

In its Brazilian habitat, F. squamulifera was observed to have a notable growth pattern. It was found covering almost the entire surface of a single tree trunk, demonstrating its ability to colonise extensively under favourable conditions. It was not detected on any other trees in the immediate vicinity, indicating potential specificity in its substrate preferences or microhabitat requirements. The species typically inhabits the understory of humid tropical rainforests, where it likely benefits from the stable, moist conditions provided by the forest canopy. [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gyalectales</span> Order of lichen-forming fungi

Gyalectales is an order of lichen-forming fungi in the class Lecanoromycetes. It contains 5 families, 18 genera and about 550 species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Porinaceae</span> Family of lichen-forming fungi

Porinaceae is a family of lichen-forming fungi in the order Gyalectales. While Trichotheliaceae was proposed as an alternative, Porinaceae is the widely accepted name following ongoing nomenclatural discussions. Most members of this family typically have a crust-like appearance and grow on a variety of surfaces, including tree bark, leaves, and rocks. Porinaceae is known for its diverse morphology, ranging from simple crust-like forms to more complex structures with distinct lobes or fan-shaped scales. Porinaceae species generate small, typically flask-shaped reproductive structures, which house spores essential for reproduction. It includes nine recognised genera and more than 365 species, with significant diversity in tropical and subtropical regions.

<i>Porina</i> Genus of fungi

Porina is a genus of crustose lichens in the family Porinaceae. As of August 2024, Species Fungorum accepts 161 species of Porina.

<i>Byssoloma</i> Genus of lichen

Byssoloma is a genus of leaf-dwelling lichens in the family Pilocarpaceae.

Gallaicolichen is a fungal genus that contains the single species Gallaicolichen pacificus, a foliicolous (leaf-dwelling) lichen. Originally discovered in Hawaii in 2007, G. pacificus has since been found in various locations across the Pacific, including Australia, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, the Philippines, and Japan. The lichen forms small, pale greenish-yellow to yellowish-grey patches on leaves, typically in mid-altitude forests and along forest edges. G. pacificus is notable for its unique reproductive structures called peltidiangia, which produce disc-shaped propagules (peltidia) for asexual reproduction. Initially, its taxonomic classification was uncertain, but recent discoveries of specimens with sexual reproductive structures have enabled scientists to confidently place it within the family Porinaceae.

Graphis marusae is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling) crustose lichen in the family Graphidaceae. It is found in a relict tropical lowland rainforest in Veracruz, Mexico, growing in exposed understory.

<i>Malmidea</i> Genus of lichen-forming fungi

Malmidea is a genus of crustose lichens and the type genus of the family Malmideaceae. It was established in 2011 to contain a phylogenetically distinct group of species formerly placed in the genus Malcolmiella. The crust-like thallus of Malmidea lichens has a surface that varies from smooth to rough, featuring textures such as verrucose (wart-like), granulose (grainy), or pustulate (pimpled). These textures are often formed by goniocysts, which are spherical clusters of green algal cells from the family Chlorococcaceae, encased in fungal hyphae. Malmidea comprises nearly 70 mostly tropical species that grow on bark, although a few grow on leaves.

Clypeopyrenis porinoides is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling) lichen in the family Pyrenulaceae. Found in Costa Rica, where it grows primarily on tree trunks and the understory of primary forests, it was described as new to science in 2011. Closely resembling some Porina species, this lichen is characterised by its light greyish-green surface and distinctive perithecia that set it apart from its close relative, Clypeopyrenis microsperma.

Porina linearispora is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling) lichen in the family Porinaceae. Found in Brazil, it was formally described as a new species in 2013 by lichenologists André Aptroot and Marcela Cáceres. The type specimen was collected by the authors from the Parque Natural Municipal de Porto Velho, where it was found growing on bark in a primary rainforest. The lichen is distinguished from other members of genus Porina by its long and thin ascospores, for which the species is named.

Trichothelium angustisporum is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Porinaceae. It is found in subtropical regions of Guyana and the Atlantic Forest of Brazil. The lichen was formally described as a new species in 2004 by lichenologists Marcela Eugenia da Silva Cáceres and Robert Lücking. The species epithet refers to its narrow and elongated ascospores.

Fissurina amyloidea is a little-known species of script lichen in the family Graphidaceae. It is found in the primary rainforests of Rondônia, Brazil. It is characterized by its weakly carbonizedlirellae and thick-walled, strongly amyloid ascospores. Despite its superficial similarity to Fissurina subfurfuracea, F. amyloidea exhibits unique anatomical features that set it apart from other species within the genus.

Fissurina chrysocarpa is a little-known species of script lichen in the family Graphidaceae. Found primarily in the rainforests of Rondônia, Brazil, it is distinguished by its bright orange lirellae.

Porina monilisidiata is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Porinaceae, 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 Porinaceae, 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).

Byssotrema is a monotypic fungal genus in the subfamily Graphidoideae of the family Graphidaceae. It contains the single species Byssotrema mirabile, a little-known corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen found only in Brazil.

Corticorygma is a monotypic fungal genus in the subfamily Graphidoideae of the family Graphidaceae. It contains a single species, the corticolous (bark-dwelling) crustose lichen Corticorygma stellatum. This script lichen is found in the shaded understory of rainforests in the Brazilian states of Rondônia and Paraná.

Porina boliviana is a species of foliicolous (leaf-dwelling) crustose lichen in the family Porinaceae. It was formally described as a new species in 2008 by the lichenologists Adam Flakus and Robert Lücking. They named it after the country where it was discovered, Bolivia. Flakus collected the type specimen from Nuevos Reyes village in the José Ballivián Province, where he found it growing on palm tree leaves in a lowland Amazon forest.

Trichothelium subargenteum is a species of foliicolous (leaf-dwelling) crustose lichen in the family Porinaceae. Found in Bolivia, it was scientifically described in 2008 by the lichenologists Adam Flakus and Robert Lücking. The specific epithet subargenteum refers to its similarity to another species, T. argenteum, which has been found in Costa Rica and Argentina.

<i>Saxiloba</i> Genus of lichens

Saxiloba is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Porinaceae. It comprises three species of saxicolous (rock-dwelling) placodioid lichens, known from disjunct locations in the Caribbean, Hawaii, and Brazil. The genus was circumscribed in 2020 to accommodate species with a distinctive placodioid thallus featuring unique surface patterns and internal crystal structures. Saxiloba lichens are characterised by their flattened, leaf-like thalli with marginal lobes, growing tightly appressed to rock surfaces. They have a complex internal structure, including large crystal clusters embedded within the photobiont layer, which may be an adaptation for light management in their typically shaded habitats.

References

  1. ↑ "Synonymy. Current Name: Flabelloporina squamulifera (Breuss, Lücking & E. Navarro) Sobreira, M. Cáceres & Lücking, in Sobreira, Cáceres, Maia & Lücking, Phytotaxa 358(1): 72 (2018)". Species Fungorum . Retrieved 9 September 2024.
  2. ↑ "Flabelloporina". Catalogue of Life . Species 2000: Leiden, the Netherlands. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Lücking, Robert; Breuss, Othmar; Nelsen, Matthew P.; Navarro, Enia; Aptroot, André; Chaves, José Luis; Trest, Marie; Will-Wolf, Susan (2013). "Porina squamulifera (lichenized Ascomycota: Porinaceae), a new species from tropical rainforest in Costa Rica with unique thallus morphology". Herzogia. 26 (2): 223–230. doi:10.13158/heia.26.2.2013.223.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Sobreira, Priscylla Nayara Bezerra; Cáceres, Marcela Eugenia Da Silva; Maia, Leonor Costa; Lücking, Robert (2018). "Flabelloporina, a new genus in the Porinaceae (Ascomycota, Ostropales), with the first record of F. squamulifera from Brazil". Phytotaxa. 358 (1): 67. doi:10.11646/phytotaxa.358.1.4.
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