Gallowayella borealis

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Gallowayella borealis
Xanthoria borealis R Sant nmnhbotany 2088120 NMNH-00433310.jpg
Type specimen of Xanthoria borealis
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Ascomycota
Class: Lecanoromycetes
Order: Teloschistales
Family: Teloschistaceae
Genus: Gallowayella
Species:
G. borealis
Binomial name
Gallowayella borealis
(R.Sant. & Poelt) S.Y.Kondr., Fedorenko, S.Stenroos, Kärnefelt, Elix, Hur & A.Thell (2012)
Synonyms [1]
  • Xanthoria borealisR.Sant. & Poelt (1992)
  • Xanthomendoza borealis(R.Sant. & Poelt) Søchting, Kärnefelt & S.Y.Kondr. (2002)
  • Oxneria borealis(R.Sant. & Poelt) S.Y.Kondr. & Kärnefelt (2003)

Gallowayella borealis is a species of saxicolous and muscicolous (rock- and moss-dwelling), lichen in the family Teloschistaceae. [2] The lichen is characterized by a foliose (leafy) thallus that forms small, cushion-like clusters, with lobes that are often convex and have a distinctive orange colour with a reddish tint, occasionally covered in pruina . It reproduces vegetatively through abundant soralia producing rounded, granule -like soredia. Chemically, it contains high levels of parietin among other lichen products. Gallowayella borealis thrives on both horizontal and vertical rock surfaces, often enriched by guano, and is particularly abundant in continental Antarctica, co-existing with Polycauliona candelaria near penguin rookeries. It has a bipolar distribution, found in the Arctic and boreal forests of the Northern Hemisphere as well as in ice-free zones of continental Antarctica.

Contents

Taxonomy

The lichen was formally described as a new species in 1992 by Rolf Santesson and Josef Poelt, who classified it in the genus Xanthoria . The type specimen was collected in 1943 by Santesson from the island of Abisko-suolo off Abisko, Sweden. [3] The taxon was later proposed for transfer to the genera Xanthomendoza in 2002, [4] and Oxneria in 2003. [5]

Description

Gallowayella borealis has a saxicolous (rock-dwelling) or muscicolous (moss-dwelling) foliose (leaf-like) thallus, typically clustering into small, cushion-like formations up to 1.5 cm in diameter. Its lobes , which can be flat but are more commonly strongly convex, measure up to 1 mm across. These lobes extend horizontally or more frequently rise upwards or stand erect, often securely attached to the substrate by a central holdfast. The margins of the lobes are intricately cut or scalloped, curving downwards to form narrow, finger-like extensions that often bear a more yellowish hue; the overall colour is orange with a reddish tint when subjected to bright light, occasionally displaying a light dusting of pruina (a powdery coating). [6]

The presence of rhizines (root-like structures for attachment) is very sparse. Soralia, the structures that produce soredia for vegetative reproduction, are plentiful and feature blastidious soredia, a term indicating a budding form of reproduction. These soralia irregularly appear on the underside of the lobe tips, which may resemble lips, helmets, or cornets in shape. The soredia themselves are approximately 40  μm in diameter, varying in quantity from sparse and contained to abundant and freely dispersed. [6]

Reproductive structures known as apothecia (fruiting bodies bearing spores) have not been observed in this species. Pycnidia, which are asexual reproductive structures producing conidia (spores), are exceedingly rare, either flush with the surface or slightly protruding, and match the upper lobe surface in colour. The conidia are bacilliform (rod-shaped), clear, and measure between 1.9 and 3.4 μm in length and 1 to 1.5 μm in width. [6]

Chemically, all examined specimens of Gallowayella borealis are characterised by high concentrations of parietin alongside minor quantities of teloschistin, fallacinal, parietinic acid, and emodin, a suit of secondary metabolites aligning with what is referred to as chemosyndrome  A. This specific chemical composition contributes to the lichen's distinctive appearance and reproductive mechanisms. [6]

Habitat and distribution

Gallowayella borealis is found growing on both horizontal and vertical rock surfaces, which are often enriched by substances like guano. In continental Antarctica, this species is abundant, thriving on moss cushions alongside Polycauliona candelaria in areas enriched by nutrients from penguin rookeries. [6]

This lichen is recognised as a truly bipolar species, being widely distributed in the Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere and extending into the boreal forest zones. Its range spans southwards to central Scandinavia in Europe and to British Columbia in North America, although it is not very common in these locations. Previous records from Oregon, Colorado, and the Himalayas have been corrected to belong to Xanthomendoza mendozae . [6]

In the Southern Hemisphere, Gallowayella borealis is abundant in ice-free areas of continental Antarctica but is absent from the maritime Antarctic regions. The species' presence in Antarctica is hypothesised to be a result of long-distance transport, possibly via birds or wind, suggesting a preference for continental climates. Its rarity in certain climates may also reflect the incidental nature of its dispersal to suitable microhabitats. The Andes in southern South America have yet to be thoroughly explored to confirm the absence of G. borealis there. [6]

Related Research Articles

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

The Teloschistaceae are a large family of mostly lichen-forming fungi belonging to the class Lecanoromycetes in the division Ascomycota. The family has a cosmopolitan distribution, although members occur predominantly in temperate regions. Most members are lichens that either live on rock or on bark, but about 40 species are lichenicolous – meaning they are non-lichenised fungi that live on other lichens. Many members of the Teloschistaceae are readily identifiable by their vibrant orange to yellow hue, a result of their frequent anthraquinone content. The presence of these anthraquinone pigments, which confer protection from ultraviolet light, enabled this group to expand from shaded forest habitats to harsher environmental conditions of sunny and arid ecosystems during the Late Cretaceous.

<i>Rusavskia elegans</i> Species of lichenised fungus

Rusavskia elegans, commonly known as the elegant sunburst lichen, is a lichenized species of fungus in the genus Rusavskia, family Teloschistaceae. Recognized by its bright orange or red pigmentation, this species grows on rocks, often near bird or rodent perches. It has a circumpolar and alpine distribution. It was one of the first lichens to be used for the rock-face dating method known as lichenometry.

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

Gallowayella is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Teloschistaceae. It has 15 species. The genus was circumscribed in 2012 by Sergey Kondratyuk, Natalya Fedorenko, Soili Stenroos, Ingvar Kärnefelt, Jack Elix, and Arne Thell, with Gallowayella coppinsii assigned as the type species. The generic name honours New Zealand lichenologist David John Galloway (1942–2014).

Gallowayella aphrodites is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), foliose (leafy) lichen in the family Teloschistaceae. It is found in the Mediterranean countries Greece, Cyprus, and Italy. Characteristics of the lichen include its small thallus, the disposition of the rhizines on the thallus undersurface, and the lack of vegetative propagules.

<i>Golubkovia</i> Single-species genus of lichen

Golubkovia is a single-species fungal genus in the family Teloschistaceae. It contains the species Golubkovia trachyphylla, a rock-dwelling lichen that is found in Asia and North America. This crustose lichen has a yellow-orange thallus that is placodioid in form.

<i>Wetmoreana</i> Genus of lichens

Wetmoreana is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Teloschistaceae. It has two crustose, saxicolous (rock-dwelling) species.

<i>Gallowayella hasseana</i> Species of lichen

Gallowayella hasseana, the poplar sunburst lichen, is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Teloschistaceae. It occurs in North America.

Jackelixia whinrayi is a lichen in the family Teloschistaceae. It was first described in 2007 by Sergey Kondratyuk and Ingvar Kärnefelt as Xanthoria whinrayi, but was transferred to the genus Jackelixia in 2009 by Kondratyuk, Natalya M. Fedorenko, Soili Kristina Stenroos, Kärnefelt, and Arne Thell.

<i>Rusavskia</i> Genus of lichens

Rusavskia is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Teloschistaceae. It has 12 species. It is a member of the subfamily Xanthorioideae. The thallus of Rusavskia is characterized by its foliose (leaf-like) structure with distinct and typically narrow lobes that curve outwards.

<i>Martinjahnsia</i> Species of lichen

Martinjahnsia is a single-species fungal genus in the family Teloschistaceae. It contains the sole species Martinjahnsia resendei, a saxicolous (rock-dwelling) crustose lichen.

<i>Niorma hosseusiana</i> Species of lichen

Niorma hosseusiana is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), fruticose lichen in the family Teloschistaceae. It is found in South America.

<i>Gallowayella fulva</i> Species of lichen

Gallowayella fulva is a species of foliose lichen in the family Teloschistaceae. It was first scientifically described in 1796 by German lichenologist Georg Franz Hoffmann, who classified it as a member of genus Lobaria. It has also been classified in the genera Oxneria, Xanthomendoza and Xanthoria in its taxonomic history. Sergey Kondratyuk and colleagues transferred the taxon to the genus Gallowayella in 2012, based on a molecular phylogenetics-based restructuring of some genera in the subfamily Xanthorioideae of family Teloschistaceae. In North America, one vernacular name for the species is the bare-bottomed sunburst lichen.

Xanthoria yorkensis is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Teloschistaceae. Found in South Australia, it was formally described as a new species in 2009 by lichenologists Sergey Kondratyuk and Ingvar Kärnefelt. The type specimen, collected along the Maitland road in Yorke Peninsula, was found growing on Melaleuca trees in mallee scrub. The species epithet refers to its type locality, the only place the lichen is known to occur. Kondratyuk and colleagues proposed to transfer the taxon to the newly circumscribed Jackelixia in 2009, but this genus has not been widely accepted by other authorities.

Xanthoria kangarooensis is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Teloschistaceae. Found in Australia, it was formally described as a new species in 2009 by lichenologists Sergey Kondratyuk and Ingvar Kärnefelt. The type specimen was collected from East Kangaroo Island, where it was found growing on dead Lycium ferocissimum shrubs. Other associated lichens include species of Pyxine, Ramalina, and Rinodina. The species epithet kangarooensis refers to its type locality, the only place the lichen is known to occur. Kondratyuk and colleagues proposed to transfer the taxon to the newly circumscribed Jackelixia in 2009, but this genus has not been widely accepted by other authorities.

<i>Gallowayella montana</i> Species of lichen

Gallowayella montana is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling) lichen in the family Teloschistaceae. It occurs in North America.

<i>Gallowayella weberi</i> Species of lichen

Gallowayella weberi is a species of corticolous and saxicolous, foliose lichen in the family Teloschistaceae. Found in the eastern United States, it is a small lichen with a smooth yellow to orange upper surface and a contrasting white lower surface.

<i>Xanthomendoza oregana</i> Species of lichen

Xanthomendoza oregana is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), foliose lichen in the family Teloschistaceae. It forms an orange to bright-yellow thallus with ascending lobes that gives it the overall appearance of a tuft. The lichen occurs in western Europe and western North America.

Honeggeria is a single-species fungal genus in the family Teloschistaceae. It contains the species Honeggeria rosmarieae, a corticolous (bark-dwelling), foliose lichen found in the United States. Characteristic features of the lichen include its isidia-like soredia, rhizines that are relatively broad and short, slender ascospores, and a rudimentary true exciple with a textura intricata tissue structure.

Gallowayella galericulata is a species of corticolous and lignicolous lichen in the family Teloschistaceae. This species has small, orange, foliose (leafy), loosely adnate thalli that form either compact colonies or spread extensively. The lobes of the thallus are typically curved inward, and often form a characteristic helmet- or hood-like shape. Found in dry regions of the western United States, it colonises bark and wood, particularly favouring dry twigs of various shrubs and trees.

References

  1. ↑ "GSD Species Synonymy. Current Name: Gallowayella borealis (R. Sant. & Poelt) S.Y. Kondr., Fedorenko, S. Stenroos, Kärnefelt, Elix, Hur & A. Thell, in Fedorenko, Stenroos, Thell, Kärnefelt, Elix, Hur & Kondratyuk, Biblthca Lichenol. 108: 57 (2012)". Species Fungorum . Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  2. ↑ "Gallowayella borealis (R. Sant. & Poelt) S.Y. Kondr., Fedorenko, S. Stenroos, Kärnefelt, Elix, Hur & A. Thell". Catalogue of Life . Species 2000: Leiden, the Netherlands. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  3. ↑ Poelt, J.; Petutschnig, W. (1992). "Beiträge zur Kenntnis der Flechtenflora des Himalaya IV. Die Gattungen Xanthoria und Teloschistes zugleich Versuch einer Revision der Xanthoria candelaria-Gruppe" [Contributions to the knowledge of the lichen flora of the Himalayas IV. The genera Xanthoria and Teloschistes as an attempt to revise the Xanthoria candelaria group]. Nova Hedwigia (in German). 54 (1–2): 1–36.
  4. ↑ Søchting, U.; Kärnefelt, I.; Kondratyuk, S.Y. (2002). "Revision of Xanthomendoza (Teloschistaceae, Lecanorales) based on morphology, anatomy, secondary metabolites and molecular data". Mitteilungen aus dem Institut für Allgemeine Botanik Hamburg. 30–32: 225–240.
  5. ↑ Kondratyuk, S.Y.; Kärnefelt, I. (2003). "Revision of three natural groups of xanthorioid lichens (Teloschistaceae, Ascomycota)". Ukrainskiy Botanichnyi Zhurnal. 60 (4): 427–437.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Lindblom, Louise; Søchting, Ulrik (2008). "Taxonomic revision of Xanthomendoza borealis and Xanthoria mawsonii (Lecanoromycetes, Ascomycota)". The Lichenologist. 40 (5): 399–409. doi:10.1017/s0024282908007937.
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