Kuettlingeria soralifera

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Kuettlingeria soralifera
Kuettlingeria soralifera.jpg
Image of type specimen
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Ascomycota
Class: Lecanoromycetes
Order: Teloschistales
Family: Teloschistaceae
Genus: Kuettlingeria
Species:
K. soralifera
Binomial name
Kuettlingeria soralifera
(Vondrák & Hrouzek) I.V.Frolov, Vondrák & Arup (2020)
Kuettlingeria soralifera
Holotype site: Křivoklát, Czech Republic [1]
Synonyms [2]
  • Caloplaca soraliferaVondrák & Hrouzek (2006)
  • Pyrenodesmia soralifera(Vondrák & Hrouzek) S.Y.Kondr. (2020)

Kuettlingeria soralifera is a saxicolous (rock-dwelling), crustose lichen species in the family Teloschistaceae, [3] first described in 2006. It is similar to Kuettlingeria xerica but distinguished by the presence of soredia on its thallus.

Contents

Taxonomy

Caloplaca soralifera was described by the lichenologists Jan Vondrák and Pavel Hrouzek in 2006. Its species name, soralifera, refers to its distinct feature of producing soredia, which are grey or grey-violet in colour. The type specimen was collected near a small pond in Křivoklát, (Rakovník District, Czech Republic), at an altitude of 348 m (1,142 ft); there, it was found growing on the horizontal side of a concrete wall. [1] Sergey Kondratyuk proposed that the taxon should be transferred to the genus Pyrenodesmia in 2020. [4] Frolov, Vondrák and Arup transferred it to the genus Kuettlingeria in 2020. [5]

Description

This lichen has a crustose, areolate to somewhat squamulose thallus, typically dark to pale grey, and often appears whitish due to pruina . The areoles are flat to convex, measuring 0.2 to 0.8 mm in diameter. It produces dark grey to violet-grey soralia at the margins of the areoles and squamules , which can sometimes cover the entire thallus surface. The cortex of the thallus is greyish to violet-grey, and the algal layer comprises a mixture of algal and fungal cells. The soredia and cortex react positively to various chemical spot tests, indicating the presence of the pigment Sedifolia-grey . [1]

Apothecia, when present, are small, with orange to brown discs and a yellow to orange true exciple . The hymenium is hyaline and contains oil drops. Asci are typically 50 to 80  μm in size, containing polarilocular , hyaline spores. [1]

Chemistry

Unlike most members of the Teloschistaceae, Caloplaca soralifera lacks anthraquinone substances in the thallus. Instead, this species contains the unique pigment Sedifolia-grey, which does not dissolve in acetone and is found in both the cortex and the soredia. This pigment gives the soredia their characteristic grey or grey-violet colouration. [1]

In the apothecia of Caloplaca soralifera, the primary chemical compound is parietin, accounting for a significant percentage of its composition. Parietin is a well-known lichen secondary metabolite, typically associated with bright orange or yellow colours in many lichen species. Additionally, trace amounts of other anthraquinones, such as fragilin, emodin, and emodial, are present in varying concentrations. The presence and proportions of these compounds helps distinguish C. soralifera from closely related species. [1]

This species falls into what is known as chemosyndrome  A, as defined in a previous study by Ulrik Søchting. [6] This classification is based on its chemical profile, particularly the dominance of parietin, which is a clear differentiator from species in chemosyndrome B that typically have other anthraquinones as dominant compounds. [1]

Similar species

Caloplaca soralifera shares similarities with several species the Caloplaca , particularly in terms of apothecium structure. The variability in their chemical compositions, particularly the presence or absence of specific compounds like parietin and anthraquinones, plays a significant role in differentiating them. [1]

Kuettlingeria furax : This species typically produces large lobules on the thallus surface and is delimited by conspicuous marginal lobes. Unlike C. soralifera, K. furax does not produce soredia and is considered a strictly parasitic species on Aspicilia species.

Caloplaca spalatensis : It lacks structures for vegetative dispersal and presents flat areoles. C. spalatensis is found on calcareous bird perching boulders in Mediterranean regions, contrasting with the habitat preference of C. soralifera.

Kuettlingeria xerica : Perhaps the most similar to C. soralifera, K. xerica does not produce soredia. Though morphologically similar, the two species belong to different chemosyndromes, with K. xerica lacking the parietin found in C. soralifera.

Caloplaca chlorina : When sterile, C. soralifera can be confused with C. chlorina. However, C. chlorina usually has a non-pruinose thallus and, when fertile, differs significantly in its lecanorine apothecial margin. [1]

Habitat, distribution, and ecology

Caloplaca soralifera is predominantly found on artificial substrates like asphalt, concrete, and mortar, and occasionally on natural substrates such as calcareous and siliceous rocks. It has been recorded in several European countries, including Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Slovakia, and Romania, growing in exposed horizontal sides of structures. Its recorded elevation range is between 220 and 1,450 m (720 and 4,760 ft). [1]

This species is often associated with other lichens like Caloplaca crenulatella and Lecanora muralis . Its presence has been increasing in certain areas, possibly due to expanding substrate preferences and climatic changes favouring nitrophilous and basiphilous lichens. [1]

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 its 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.

Parvoplaca nigroblastidiata is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Teloschistaceae. Found in Europe and Alaska, it was formally described as a new species in 2015 by Ulf Arup, Jan Vondrák, and Mehmet Halıcı. The type specimen was collected in the Nyhem Parish, Jämtland (Sweden), where it was growing on the bark of Populus tremula. In Turkey, it has been recorded at high altitudes on the bark of Juniperus excelsa and Abies cilicica, while in a single record from Alaska it is growing on Populus. In 2018 it was reported from the sacred groves of Epirus in Greece, and in 2020 from Norway.

Sanguineodiscus is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Teloschistaceae. It is characterized by its deep red apothecial discs, found predominantly in the Mediterranean basin, Central Asia, Northern Africa, and Europe. This genus comprises both saxicolous and corticolous species, which are found in various habitats, such as inland rain-sheltered base-rich siliceous rocks, seashore siliceous rocks, and calcareous outcrops in Central Asia. Sanguineodiscus, established in 2023, contains four recognized species, but it is believed that the genus contains more unnamed taxa.

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

Kuettlingeria erythrocarpa is a species of saxicolous (rock-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Teloschistaceae.

<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.

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.

Caloplaca fluviatilis is a species of saxicolous (rock-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Teloschistaceae. It is found in the Republic of Tyva in Siberia.

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.

Flavoplaca kantvilasii is a species of saxicolous (rock-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Teloschistaceae. Found in Australia, it was formally described as a new species in 2007.

<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.

Austroplaca soropelta is a species of saxicolous and muscicolous, crustose lichen in the family Teloschistaceae. It has a bipolar distribution, meaning it occurs in polar areas of both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

<i>Coppinsiella</i> Genus of lichens

Coppinsiella is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Teloschistaceae. It contains five species of corticolous and saxicolous crustose lichens with a distribution in Europe, Asia, and North America. Coppinsiella bears resemblance to the genus Athallia, but it is distinguished by its more developed thallus, typically featuring distinctive crater-like soralia and zeorine-form apothecia, which lack a thalline margin.

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

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

<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.

Kuettlingeria furax is a species of lichenicolous (lichen-dwelling) crustose lichen in the family Teloschistaceae. It was first formally described as a new species in 1983 by José María Egea Fernández and Xavier Llimona; they classified it in the genus Caloplaca. The type specimen of this lichen was discovered in the eastern part of the Sierra Morena mountains in Albacete, Spain. It was found growing parasitically on other lichens in the genus Aspicilia, which are found on silica-rich surfaces.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Vondrák, Jan; Hrouzek, Pavel (2006). "Caloplaca soralifera, a new species from Europe" (PDF). Graphis Scripta. 18: 6–15.
  2. ↑ "Synonymy. Current Name: Kuettlingeria soralifera (Vondrák & Hrouzek) I.V. Frolov, Vondrák & Arup, in Frolov, Vondrák, Košnar & Arup, Journal of Systematics and Evolution 59(3): 469 (2020)". Species Fungorum . Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  3. ↑ "Kuettlingeria soralifera (Vondrák & Hrouzek) I.V. Frolov, Vondrák & Arup". Catalogue of Life . Species 2000: Leiden, the Netherlands. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  4. ↑ Kondratyuk, S.Y.; Lőkös, L.; Oh, S.-O.; Kondratiuk, T.O.; Parnikoza, I.Yu.; Hur, J.-S. (2020). "New and noteworthy lichen-forming and lichenicolous fungi, 11". Acta Botanica Hungarica. 62 (3–4): 225–291. doi: 10.1556/034.62.2020.3-4.3 .
  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" (PDF). Journal of Systematics and Evolution. 59 (3): 454–474. doi:10.1111/jse.12717.
  6. ↑ Søchting, Ulrik (1997). "Two major anthraquinone chemosyndromes in Teloschistaceae". Bibliotheca Lichenologica. 68: 135–144.
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