| Herpothallon | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Herpothallon rubrocinctum | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Arthoniomycetes |
| Order: | Arthoniales |
| Family: | Arthoniaceae |
| Genus: | Herpothallon Tobler (1937) |
| Type species | |
| Herpothallon sanguineum (Vain.) Tobler (1937) | |
| Species | |
See text | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
Herpothallon is a genus of crustose lichens in the family Arthoniaceae. It has about 50 species. [2]
The genus was circumscribed in 1930 by German lichenologist Friedrich Tobler, with Herpothallon sanguineum assigned as the type species. Tobler erroneously believed that the fungus was a member of the Basidiomycota. [3] [4] After it was recognized as an ascolichen, it was referred to either Chiodecton (family Roccellaceae) or Cryptothecia (family Arthoniaceae). [5]
In 2009, Herpothallon was resurrected following a publication by André Aptroot, Göran Thor, Robert Lücking, and John Elix, in which they recognized 29 species worldwide. [6] The type species is now known as Herpothallon rubrocinctum , [7] or in the vernacular as the "Christmas lichen". [8]
Herpothallon is characterized by the byssoid (a wispy or cottony texture) prothallus (i.e., the first purely fungal layer upon which an algae-containing thallus develops) and hypothallus (i.e., a growth of undifferentiated purely fungal mycelium present as a distinct layer on the underside of the thallus). The texture of the thallus is somewhat felt-like, and its form is heteromerous, meaning that more or less distinct tissues are present, in particular, the mycobiont and photobiont components occur in well-marked layers, with the photobiont in a more or less distinct zone between the upper cortex and the medulla. Another thallus feature common to all species is the felty pseudoisidia; these are isidia-like outgrowths that, unlike true isidia, lack internal differentiation and have no distinct cortex. The thallus also has pustules (blister-like elevations), and granules ranging in form and size from soredia-like to minute. The photobiont partner of the Herpothallon lichen is from Trentepohlia , a genus of green algae. [9] In Herpothallon, the asci do not develop in true ascomata. Only two members of the genus, H. fertile and H. inopinatum , are known to be fertile. [10]
As of January 2022 [update] , Species Fungorum accepts 42 species of Herpothallon.
Cryptothecia is a genus of white to greenish crustose lichens that grow on bark, wood, or leaves, in tropical or subtropical areas worldwide. It has a conspicuous prothallus that develops around its periphery which can be bright red in some species, hence the common name wreath lichen. The main vegetative body (thallus) lacks a cortex (ecorticate and is often immersed in the substrate or byssoid. The medulla is white, well defined, and often peppered with calcium oxalate crystals. Ascomata are not well defined, being cushions of soft white mycelium immersed in the medullary tissue, hence the name from the Greek krypto = "to conceal" and theke = "a container or sheath". It contains Trentepohlia, a green alga, as its photobiont partner.
Chrysothrix is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Chrysothricaceae. They are commonly called gold dust lichens or sulfur dust lichens, because they are bright yellow to greenish-yellow, sometimes flecked with orange, and composed entirely of powdery soredia. Apothecia are never present in North American specimens.
Sagenidiopsis isidiata is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling) byssoid lichen in the family Arthoniaceae. Found in tropical montane rainforests throughout Central America, South America, and the Antilles, it was described as new to science in 2011. The lichen is characterised by its cream-coloured to greyish thallus and numerous pseudoisidia, which are small, cylindrical outgrowths on its surface.
Myriostigma is a genus of lichens in the family Arthoniaceae. The genus was circumscribed by German lichenologist August von Krempelhuber in 1874.
Heiomasia is a genus of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichens in the family Graphidaceae. It has five species.
Herpothallon rubromaculatum is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Arthoniaceae. Found in tropical rainforests of Peru and Venezuela, it was formally described as new to science in 2009 by the lichenologist Göran Thor. It contains neodiffractic acid as a major lichen product, and confluentic acid as a minor component.
Herpothallon pustulatum is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Arthoniaceae. It was formally described as new to science in 2009 by the lichenologist Göran Thor. It is found in montane forests in Costa Rica, Brazil, and Venezuela. It contains confluentic acid as its major lichen product along with trace amounts of several other substances.
Herpothallon nigroisidiatum is a little-known species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Arthoniaceae. Found in Peru, it was formally described as new to science in 2009 by the lichenologist Göran Thor. It contains neodiffractic acid as its major lichen product, along with trace amounts of confluentic acid and chiodectonic acid. It is only known to occur at its type locality, which is a tropical rainforest in the Cordillera Escalera, San Martín. The species epithet nigroisidiatum refers to its pseudisidia, which have a black hypothallus that sometimes projects up into their inner parts and colours them black.
Herpothallon hypoprotocetraricum is a little-known species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Arthoniaceae. Found in Tanzania, it was formally described as new to science in 2009 by the lichenologist Göran Thor. The type specimen was collected by Edit Farkas in 1989 from a rocky forest on the south-east slope of Mount Kanga, a hill of the Nguru Mountains in the Mvomero district, Morogoro, Tanzania, at an altitude between 1,200 and 1,300 m. It is only known to occur at the type locality. The lichen contains hypoprotocetraric acid as its major lichen substance, along with minor amounts of chiodectonic acid and trace amounts of several other lichen products.
Herpothallon globosum is a little-known species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Arthoniaceae. Found in São Tomé and Príncipe, it was formally described as new to science in 2009 by the lichenologist Göran Thor. It contains psoromic acid and chiodectonic acid as major lichen products. The lichen is known only from two old collections made by Moller in 1885, at altitudes of 1,200 and 1,500 m. The species epithet refers to its numerous globose (spherical) and unbranched isidia.
Herpothallon furfuraceum is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Arthoniaceae. Found in Costa Rica, it was formally described as new to science in 2009 by the lichenologist Göran Thor. It is only known to occur in two locations in Costa Rica, at elevations ranging from 900 to 1,350 m. It contains confluentic acid and chiodectonic acid as major lichen products. The authors suggest that because this lichen resembles a more weakly pigmented version of the more common and widespread Herpothallon rubrocinctum, it may be commonly overlooked by collectors.
Herpothallon fertile is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Arthoniaceae. Originally described from specimens collected in Costa Rica, it was formally described as new to science in 2009 by the lichenologists André Aptroot and Robert Lücking. It also occurs in Brazil, and is considered by the authors to have a wide distribution in "tropical parts of America". Its species epithet fertile reflects the fact that it is the only species of Herpothallon to have been found with asci and ascospores.
Herpothallon elegans is a rare species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Arthoniaceae. Found in Peru, it was formally described as new to science in 2009 by the lichenologist Göran Thor. It contains confluentic acid and lichexanthone as major lichen products. It is only known to occur in tropical rainforest at a couple of locations, with elevations of 850 m (2,790 ft) and about 1,200 m (3,900 ft).
Herpothallon echinatum is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling) or lignicolous (wood-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Arthoniaceae. Originally described from specimens collected in Costa Rica, it was formally described as new to science in 2009 by the lichenologists André Aptroot, Robert Lücking, and Susan Will-Wolf. It has also been recorded from a few locations in Asia and Australasia. It contain psoromic acid as a major lichen product.
Herpothallon corallinum is a little-known species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Arthoniaceae. Found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, it was formally described as new to science in 2009 by the lichenologist Göran Thor. It contains confluentic acid as a major lichen product and various others as minor products and trace metabolites. The species is only known from two old collections, including the type collection, made in 1898, both in a lowland rainforest on the western shore of Lake Tanganyika.
Herpothallon confusum is a little-known species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Arthoniaceae. Found in Venezuela, it was formally described as new to science in 2009 by the lichenologist Göran Thor. It contains confluentic acid and 2'-O-methylevernic acid as major lichen products, evernic acid as a minor metabolite, and trace amounts of chiodectonic acid. The lichen is only known from a couple of documented collections made in lowland rainforests.
Herpothallon confluenticum is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Arthoniaceae. Originally described from specimens collected in Thailand, it was formally described as new to science in 2009 by the lichenologists André Aptroot and Robert Lücking. The lichen has also been recorded in other localities in Asia, Australia, and South America. It contains confluentic acid as a major lichen product.
Herpothallon cinereum is a little-known species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Arthoniaceae. Found in Venezuela, it was formally described as new to science in 2009 by the lichenologist Göran Thor. It contains confluentic acid as its major lichen product. The lichen is only known to occur at its type locality in a tropical rainforest in Sierra Portuguesa (Lara) at an elevation of about 1,000 m (3,300 ft).
Herpothallon brialmonticum is a little-known species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Arthoniaceae. Found in Suriname, it was formally described as new to science in 2009 by the lichenologists André Aptroot and John Elix. The species epithet refers to the three novel lichen products found in the lichen: brialmontic acid, methylbrialmontic acid, and dimethylbrialmontic acid. In addition to these compounds, all related to brialmontin 2, the lichen also has confluentic acid as a major secondary metabolite. This neotropical lichen is only known to occur at the type locality.
Herpothallon adnatum is a little-known species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Arthoniaceae. Found in Peru, it was formally described as new to science in 2009 by the lichenologist Göran Thor. The type specimen was collected from Paucartambo,, at an elevation of 850 m (2,790 ft). The species is only known to occur at the type locality. It contains confluentic acid as its major lichen product, along with trace amounts of a few others.