Kuettlingeria neotaurica

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Kuettlingeria neotaurica
Kuettlingeria neotaurica.jpg
Growing on volcanic rock in Portugal
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Ascomycota
Class: Lecanoromycetes
Order: Teloschistales
Family: Teloschistaceae
Genus: Kuettlingeria
Species:
K. neotaurica
Binomial name
Kuettlingeria neotaurica
(Vondrák, Khodos., Arup & Søchting) I.V.Frolov, Vondrák & Arup (2020)
Synonyms [1]
  • Caloplaca neotauricaVondrák, Khodos., Arup & Søchting (2012)
  • Pyrenodesmia neotaurica(Vondrák, Khodos., Arup & Søchting) S.Y.Kondr. (2020)

Kuettlingeria neotaurica is a species of saxicolous (rock-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Teloschistaceae. [2]

Contents

Taxonomy

The lichen was first formally described as a new species in 2012 by the lichenologists Jan Vondrák, Alexander Khodosovtsev, Ulf Arup, and Ulrik Søchting; it was initially classified as a member of the genus Caloplaca . The type specimen was collected by the first author from Mount Svyataya (Kara Dag Mountain, Sudak, Ukraine) at an elevation of 320 m (1,050 ft), where it was found growing on volcanic rock. The species epithet alludes to the geographical region where it is commonly found, the Crimean Peninsula. Historically, this area was referred to as "Taurica" by the ancient Greeks and Romans. The name "Caloplaca taurica" had been previously attributed by Mereschkowsky in an informal manner (a nomen nudum ), to a species later recognised as Caloplaca inconnexa(Nyl.) Zahlbr. Although this earlier naming was not validly published and thus did not formally restrict the use of the name for the new species, the authors decided not to adopt it for Caloplaca neotaurica, to prevent any potential confusion between the two species, leading to the distinct naming of Caloplaca neotaurica. [3] Sergey Kondratyuk proposed that the species should be in the genus Pyrenodesmia in 2020. [4] It was transferred to the genus Kuettlingeria in 2020. [5]

Description

Kuettlingeria neotaurica is characterised by a thallus (the main lichen body) that typically appears dark grey to brown-black, although it can occasionally have a white, powdery coating ( pruina ). The thallus is relatively thin, generally not exceeding 150  μm in thickness, and lacks both marginal squamules (small, scale-like structures) and vegetative propagules (reproductive parts that help in dispersal). [3]

The apothecia (reproductive structures where spores are produced) of Kuettlingeria neotaurica are small, with a maximum diameter of about 0.7 mm, and are biatorine in form, meaning they have a flat disc and a clearly distinguishable margin. These apothecia have an orange-red colour, which turns purple when treated with the C spot test (C+ purple). In grey variants of the apothecia, this reaction may not be observed. [3]

The ascospores (spores produced in the asci) of Kuettlingeria neotaurica are approximately 14 to 17 μm wide and 75 to 105 μm long. They typically possess septa (dividing walls within the spore) around 4.0 to 7.5 μm wide. Additionally, the species forms pycnidia, which are small, grey reproductive structures that produce conidia (asexual, non-motile spores). These conidia are ellipsoid in shape and measure about 2.5–3.5 to 1.0 by 1.5 μm. [3]

Habitat and distribution

Kuettlingeria neotaurica predominantly inhabits siliceous rock cliffs, outcrops, and stones located in the proximity of sea coasts. While this species is primarily coastal, it has been occasionally observed inland, specifically in regions like the Peloponnese in Greece and the Rhodope Mountains in Bulgaria. Its geographical distribution encompasses the Mediterranean and the Black Sea coastal areas, with a presence in the Crimean Peninsula. Furthermore, this lichen extends along the Atlantic coast of Europe, including confirmed sightings in Great Britain. [3]

A distinct variation of Kuettlingeria neotaurica, characterised by grey apothecia, has been identified exclusively in limited areas. These unique phenotypes have been recorded only in the Crimean Peninsula, Cyprus, and Greece, indicating a more localised distribution for this particular variant within the species' overall range. [3]

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

Gyalolechia is a genus of lichen-forming fungi belonging to the family Teloschistaceae. It contains 18 species of crustose lichens.

<i>Athallia</i> Genus of lichens

Athallia is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Teloschistaceae. It was circumscribed in 2013 by Ulf Arup, Patrik Frödén, and Ulrik Søchting, and the type species is Athallia holocarpa. The genus name means "without a thallus".

<i>Kuettlingeria</i> Genus of lichens

Kuettlingeria is a genus of saxicolous (rock-dwelling), crustose lichens in the family Teloschistaceae. Species are characterized by a white or gray thallus and the presence of anthraquinones in the apothecial disc and true exciple, with the exception of Kuettlingeria diphyodes, which entirely lacks anthraquinones. First described by Italian botanist Trevisan in 1857, the genus includes 15 recognized species, although it is believed to be more diverse with additional unnamed species. These lichens are predominantly found in the Northern Hemisphere, particularly in the Mediterranean region, and grow on limestone and base-rich siliceous outcrops in sunlit conditions.

<i>Pyrenodesmia</i> Genus of fungi

Pyrenodesmia is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Teloschistaceae. The genus currently includes 23 recognized species but is believed to contain many more unnamed taxa. The genus was circumscribed in 1852 by Italian lichenologist Abramo Bartolommeo Massalongo. It is characterised by the complete absence of anthraquinones and the presence of Sedifolia-gray pigments in both the thallus and apothecia. These lichens are typically found in calcareous outcrops in the Northern Hemisphere, with biodiversity centres in the Mediterranean basin, Central Asia, and arid regions of western North America.

Solitaria is a fungal genus in the family Teloschistaceae. It contains a single species, the corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen Solitaria chrysophthalma.

<i>Kuettlingeria albolutescens</i> Species of lichen

Kuettlingeria albolutescens is a species of saxicolous (rock-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Teloschistaceae. It occurs in Europe and Western Asia.

Elixjohnia gallowayi is a species of saxicolous (rock-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Teloschistaceae. It has a vividly coloured thallus, ranging in hues from bright red to reddish-orange. It is found in Australia.

Sirenophila maccarthyi is a species of corticolous/lignicolous, crustose lichen in the family Teloschistaceae. It has a thallus that is whitish or greyish, often inconspicuous and not always continuous, which can appear darker or dirty grey near its numerous, clustered apothecia. Sirenophila maccarthyi is distributed across regions including Western Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, and New Zealand, in both coastal and inland habitats. It typically grows on the bark and dead wood of a wide range of trees and shrubs such as Acacia sophorae, Araucaria excelsa, and various Eucalyptus species.

Caloplaca sterilis is a corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen belonging to the family Teloschistaceae, described in 2011. It is primarily found in steppe and sand dune habitats in the Black Sea region, and has been recorded from Bulgaria, Romania, southwest Russia, and Ukraine. Caloplaca sterilis is characterised by tiny squamules/areoles with contrasting pale greyish-green to greenish soredia. It is easily overlooked and challenging to identify when completely sorediate and sterile, especially as its soredia do not contain the typical Sedifolia-grey pigment.

Pyrenodesmia micromontana is a species of saxicolous (rock-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Teloschistaceae. Found in the Orenburg region of Russia, this species prefers to grow on lime-rich schist and sandstone boulders and pebbles in scrubs and steppes.

Pyrenodesmia micromarina is a species of saxicolous (rock-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Teloschistaceae. It is found in the Eastern Mediterranean, specifically along the coasts of the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara in Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine. It grows on coastal rocks and occasionally concrete, often in Mediterranean scrub vegetation.

<i>Flavoplaca austrocitrina</i> Species of lichen

Flavoplaca austrocitrina is a species of saxicolous (rock-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Teloschistaceae. It is widely distributed in Europe, and has also been recorded in South America.

Flavoplaca arcisproxima is a species of saxicolous (rock-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Teloschistaceae. It is found primarily in the coastal regions of the Crimean Peninsula and the eastern Mediterranean, particularly in Crete, Greece.

<i>Kuettlingeria soralifera</i> Species of lichen

Kuettlingeria soralifera is a saxicolous (rock-dwelling), crustose lichen species in the family Teloschistaceae, first described in 2006. It is similar to Kuettlingeria xerica but distinguished by the presence of soredia on its thallus.

<i>Kuettlingeria teicholyta</i> Species of lichen

Kuettlingeria teicholyta is a species of saxicolous (rock-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Teloschistaceae, and the type species of the genus Kuettlingeria. It is a widely distributed lichen, having been recorded from Africa, Asia, and Europe.

Hanstrassia lenae is a species of saxicolous (rock-dwelling) in the family Teloschistaceae. Described as a new species in 2007, the lichen is found in Russian Far East, Mongolia, and Siberia. It closely resembles Elenkiniana ehrenbergii but distinguished by the presence of soralia on its thallus. This species has a thick, effigurate thallus with weak marginal lobes and developed marginal, labriform (lip-shaped) soralia.

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.

<i>Pyrenodesmia variabilis</i> Species of lichen

Pyrenodesmia variabilis is a species of saxicolous (rock-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Teloschistaceae. Characteristics of the species include its dark, areolate thallus, and its dark, sessile (stalkless) apothecia. It occurs on nutrient-rich limestone surfaces in Northern Europe, North America, Central America, and Asia.

References

  1. ↑ "Synonymy. Current Name: Kuettlingeria neotaurica (Vondrák, Khodos., Arup & Søchting) I.V. Frolov, Vondrák & Arup, in Frolov, Vondrák, Košnar & Arup, Journal of Systematics and Evolution 59(3): 468 (2020)". Species Fungorum . Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  2. ↑ "Kuettlingeria neotaurica (Vondrák, Khodos., Arup & Søchting) I.V. Frolov, Vondrák & Arup". Catalogue of Life . Species 2000: Leiden, the Netherlands. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Vondrák, Jan; Šoun, Jaroslav; Vondrávov, Olga; Fryday, Alan M.; Khodosovtsev, Alexander; Davydov, Evgeny A. (2012). "Absence of anthraquinone pigments is paraphyletic and a phylogenetically unreliable character in the Teloschistaceae". The Lichenologist. 44 (3): 401–418. doi:10.1017/S0024282911000843.
  4. ↑ Kondratyuk, S.Y.; Lőkös, L.; Farkas, E.; Kärnefelt, I.; Thell, A.; Yamamoto, Y.; Hur, J.-S. (2020). "Three new genera of the Teloschistaceae proved by three gene phylogeny" (PDF). Acta Botanica Hungarica. 62 (1–2): 109–136. doi:10.1556/034.62.2020.1-2.7.
  5. ↑ Frolov, Ivan; Vondrák, Jan; Košnar, Jiří; Arup, Ulf (2020). "Phylogenetic relationships within Pyrenodesmia sensu lato and the role of pigments in its taxonomic interpretation". Journal of Systematics and Evolution. 59 (3): 454–474. doi:10.1111/jse.12717.
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