| Gudelia | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Lichinomycetes |
| Order: | Lichinales |
| Family: | Gloeoheppiaceae |
| Genus: | Gudelia Henssen (1995) |
| Species: | G. mexicana |
| Binomial name | |
| Gudelia mexicana Henssen (1995) | |
Gudelia is a fungal genus in the family Gloeoheppiaceae. [1] [2] It comprises the single species Gudelia mexicana, a little-known rock-dwelling lichen found in southwest Mexico and described in 1995.
Both the genus Gudelia and its sole species were described in 1995 by the German lichenologist Aino Henssen. The type specimen of Gudelia mexicana was collected in Mexico, specifically from the state of Guerrero. It was found 18 km (11 mi) south-southeast of Taxco, at an elevation of 1,360 m (4,460 ft), growing on a limestone cliff by the roadside. The specimen was collected in June 1972 by T.P. Maslin. The genus name Gudelia was chosen by Henssen to honor the late Professor Gunnar Degelius, a renowned Swedish lichenologist. [3]
Gudelia is distinguished from other genera in the Gloeoheppiaceae by its peltate thallus that is completely gelatinous internally. The thallus is homoiomerous , with hyphae embedded in a gelatinous matrix and arranged in a reticulate pattern. It lacks the interstices or cavities found in related genera like Gloeoheppia and Pseudopeltula . [3]
While the thallus structure is unique, the apothecial development and spore characteristics align Gudelia with other members of the Gloeoheppiaceae. Within the family, Gudelia's position is somewhat isolated due to its distinctive thallus structure and consistency, but its apothecial characters correspond well with other members of the family. [3]
Gudelia mexicana is a small, disc-shaped lichen that grows up to 9 mm (about 1/3 inch) in diameter. Its overall shape resembles a flattened mushroom cap with broad lobes around the edges. The lichen attaches to rock surfaces by a central stalk-like structure called an umbilicus , which is about 1 mm long and 1.5–3.2 mm wide. The upper surface of the lichen appears brownish, but this is mostly obscured by a thick, greyish-white powdery coating, the pruina , which gives the lichen a frosted appearance. The underside of the lichen also has this powdery coating, especially towards the edges, while the center area around the umbilicus is brownish and has a ridged texture. [3]
When examined in cross-section, the lichen body (thallus) is quite thick, measuring 500–700 μm (0.5–0.7 mm). Unlike many lichens that have distinct layers, Gudelia mexicana has a uniform internal structure. Its fungal threads (hyphae) form an irregular network throughout a jelly-like substance, giving the lichen a gelatinous consistency when wet. The cells of its photosynthetic partner, a type of cyanobacteria, are scattered within this gel but are more concentrated near the surface. [3]
The lichen reproduces sexually through small, disc-like structures called apothecia. These appear on the upper surface, reaching up to 1.2 mm in diameter. They have a brown center (the disc ) surrounded by a raised rim (the margin) that matches the powdery appearance of the main lichen body. Inside the apothecia, spore-producing sacs (asci) typically contain eight spores each, though some may have as few as four. Gudelia mexicana also has structures for asexual reproduction called pycnidia. These are flask-shaped chambers embedded in the lichen body, producing tiny, rod-shaped reproductive cells called conidia. [3]
Gudelia mexicana is a highly specialized lichen with a very limited known distribution, having been documented from only a single location in Mexico. The lichen's habitat preferences appear to be quite specific. It is saxicolous, meaning it grows on rock surfaces, with a particular affinity for calcareous substrates like limestone. [3]
Psora is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Psoraceae. Members of the genus are commonly called fishscale lichens. Lichens in the genus Psora generally have a squamulose thallus and anthraquinones in the hymenium. Photobiont partners of Psora lichens include members of the green algal genera Asterochloris, Chloroidium, Myrmecia, and Trebouxia.
Gloeoheppiaceae is a family of ascomycete fungi in the order Lichinales. The family contains ten species distributed amongst three genera. Most species are lichenised with cyanobacteria. Species in this family are mostly found in desert areas. Modern molecular phylogenetics analysis casts doubt on the phylogenetic validity of the family, suggesting a more appropriate placement of its species in the family Lichinaceae.
Ochrolechia is a genus of crustose lichens in the family Ochrolechiaceae. These lichens typically form uneven, often thick, crust-like growths on various surfaces and are characterised by their white to pale grey thalli, which may have a greenish tint. The genus has a long evolutionary history, with fossils dating back to the Paleogene period, about 34 million years ago. Ochrolechia species have disc-like apothecia, which are usually yellowish or brownish-pink and often covered with a fine white powdery coating. The genus is widely distributed and includes both common and rare species, with some found in extreme environments such as arctic and alpine regions. Ochrolechia lichens produce diverse secondary metabolites, including orcinol depsides, depsidones, and xanthones.
Stromatella bermudana is a saxicolous (rock-dwelling) crustose lichen. It is the only species in Stromatella, a monotypic fungal genus in the family Lichinaceae.
Roccellinastrum is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Pilocarpaceae. It has seven species.
Scutaria is a single-species fungal genus in the family Teloschistaceae. It contains the species Scutaria andina, found in South America. The thallus of this lichen has a form that is intermediate between crustose and foliose.
Sucioplaca is a single-species fungal genus in the family Teloschistaceae. It contains Sucioplaca diplacia, a saxicolous (rock-dwelling) crustose lichen. It is common and widely distributed in the Caribbean, Central America, and the Galápagos Islands, where it grows on coastal rocks.
Myochroidea is a genus of lichen-forming fungi of uncertain familial placement in the order Lecanorales. It has four species of grey or brown-grey crustose lichens.
Ochrolechia gowardii is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Ochrolechiaceae. First described in 1991 by the Canadian lichenologist Irwin M. Brodo, this lichen is characterised by its very thin, yellowish-white body (thallus) that partially embeds into tree bark. O. gowardii has small, powdery structures (soralia) that produce asexual reproductive granules, and its disc-like fruiting bodies (apothecia) with pale yellow-orange to light orange centres. O. gowardii can be found in parts of northwestern North America and Scandinavia, typically growing on subalpine fir or Norway spruce trees.
Austroparmeliella is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Pannariaceae. It consists of five species, all of which are found in the Southern Hemisphere.
Pseudoheppia is a fungal genus in the family Lichinaceae. It contains a single species, Pseudoheppia schuleri, a saxicolous (rock-dwelling) squamulose lichen.
Meridianelia is a fungal genus in the family Elixiaceae. It consists of the single species Meridianelia maccarthyana, a corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen. This lichen forms greyish-white, crust-like growths on tree bark in subalpine woodlands of Tasmania, Australia. Discovered in 2003 and scientifically described in 2009, Meridianelia is classified in the small fungal family Elixiaceae based on its genetic and structural characteristics. The genus is notable for its unique reproductive structures and its apparent rarity, having been found in only a few locations despite growing in a relatively common type of forest.
Boreoplaca is a fungal genus in the family Ophioparmaceae. It comprises the single species Boreoplaca ultrafrigida, a saxicolous (rock-dwelling), squamulose lichen. Both the genus and species were described in 1994 by the Norwegian lichenologist Einar Timdal. The lichen is found in Eastern Siberia, the Russian Far East as well as in adjacent territories of north-east China, and in South Korea. The main characteristics of the lichen are its squamulose thallus, black lecideine apothecia, and Fuscidea-type asci.
Gloeoheppia is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Gloeoheppiaceae. It comprises five species. The genus is distinguished from similar-looking lichens like Heppia by its internal structure, the nature of its photobiont, and details of its reproductive structures.
Metamelanea is a small genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Lichinaceae. It consists of three species of rock-dwelling lichens.
Megaloblastenia is a genus of crustose lichen-forming fungi in the family Megalosporaceae, comprising three species. Proposed by Dutch lichenologist Harrie Sipman in 1983, the genus is characterised by its thick, ecorticate thallus ranging from pale whitish-grey to yellowish, and its disc-like fruiting bodies (apothecia) that can be biatorine or lecideine. Megaloblastenia lichens form a symbiotic relationship with Dictyochloropsis algae, produce hyaline, bicellular ascospores with polaribilocular structure, and contain chemical compounds such as zeorin, pannarin, or usnic acid. Found in Australasia and South America, these lichens typically grow as epiphytes on trees in moist forests within temperate to tropical oceanic climates.
Pyrenothrix is a small genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Pyrenotrichaceae. It comprises two species of filamentous lichens, which are organisms formed by a symbiotic relationship between fungi and photosynthetic partners. The genus is characterized by its unique structure, featuring densely arranged filaments composed of cyanobacteria wrapped in fungal threads. Pyrenothrix species form dark greyish-brown growths on various surfaces, with one species found on tree bark and the other on leaves in tropical forests. The genus was circumscribed in 1917 by American scientist Lincoln Ware Riddle, based on specimens collected in Florida. Pyrenothrix is distinguished from other lichens by its intricate cellular structure and reproductive features, including specialized spore-producing structures.
Paracollema is a small genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Collemataceae. It comprises two species of jelly lichens, characterised by their small size, gelatinous nature when wet, and distinctive reproductive structures. The genus was proposed in 2013 and later validated in 2017. Paracollema lichens form small, leafy thalli up to 1 cm in diameter, with dark olive green to brownish colouration. They are distinguished from related genera by their very small asci and spores. Both known species are primarily epiphytic and have a limited distribution in southern Europe and northern Africa, typically found in Mediterranean or semi-arid climates.
Pseudopeltula is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Gloeoheppiaceae. Established in 1995 by the lichenologist Aino Henssen, the genus currently includes four recognised species. These small cyanolichens are characterised by their squamulose (scaly) to peltate (shield-shaped) thalli, which lack a lower cortex and are attached to the substrate by rhizines. A key feature of Pseudopeltula is its complex apothecia, which have hymenia that often become divided by sterile tissue as they mature. The genus is primarily found in arid and semi-arid regions of North America, Mexico, and the Caribbean, where species typically grow on soil, rock, or thin soil over rock, often forming part of biological soil crusts in desert environments.