| Microtheliopsis | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Eurotiomycetes |
| Order: | Chaetothyriales |
| Family: | Microtheliopsidaceae |
| Genus: | Microtheliopsis Müll.Arg. (1890) |
| Type species | |
| Microtheliopsis uleana Müll.Arg. (1890) | |
| Species | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
Microtheliopsis is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Microtheliopsidaceae. It comprises four species of foliicolous (leaf-dwelling) crustose lichens. [2] [3]
The genus was circumscribed by the Swiss lichenologist Johannes Müller Argoviensis in 1890, with M. uleana assigned as the type, and at the time, only species. [4] The genus remained relatively obscure until a second species, from Costa Rica, was added in 1994. [5]
Microtheliopsis is a genus of lichen-forming fungi that primarily grows on the leaves of understory plants and shrubs ( epiphyllous and foliicolous ). The thallus, or main body of the lichen, forms a thin, crust-like (crustose) layer on the leaf surface. It lacks a protective outer layer (ecorticate) and has a rounded to irregular shape along its edges. The surface of the thallus can be smooth or sparsely covered with tiny hair-like structures ( setose ). [6]
The ascomata (sexual reproductive structures) are flask-shaped ( perithecial ) and small, appearing as solitary, scattered bumps that are easily visible on the leaf surface. These perithecia are dark brown to black, rounded or slightly elongated, and partially embedded in the algal layer of the thallus. They are surrounded by irregular, dark brown fungal filaments (hyphae) and have a small opening at the top (ostiole) for spore release. The wall of the perithecium ( peridium ) is thin and made of a single layer of large, angular cells. [6]
Inside the perithecia, the spore-producing layer contains no sterile filaments ( pseudoparaphyses ) but instead has a gelatinous matrix. The asci (spore-bearing structures) are club-shaped ( clavate ) and have a double-layered wall ( bitunicate ), containing eight spores each. The spores themselves are spindle-shaped ( fusiform ), divided into 1–3 sections (septate) or sometimes have a more complex internal structure ( submuriform ). They have smooth walls and rounded ends. The asexual reproductive form of Microtheliopsis is not yet known. [6]
Porinaceae is a family of lichen-forming fungi in the order Gyalectales. While Trichotheliaceae was proposed as an alternative, Porinaceae is the widely accepted name following ongoing nomenclatural discussions. Most members of this family typically have a crust-like appearance and grow on a variety of surfaces, including tree bark, leaves, and rocks. Porinaceae is known for its diverse morphology, ranging from simple crust-like forms to more complex structures with distinct lobes or fan-shaped scales. Porinaceae species generate small, typically flask-shaped reproductive structures, which house spores essential for reproduction. It includes nine recognised genera and more than 365 species, with significant diversity in tropical and subtropical regions.
Trichothelium is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Porinaceae. It has an estimated 40 species. The genus was circumscribed by the Swiss lichenologist Johannes Müller Argoviensis in 1885, with Trichothelium epiphyllum assigned as the type species.
Byssoloma is a genus of leaf-dwelling lichens in the family Pilocarpaceae.
Bapalmuia is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Pilocarpaceae.
Tapellaria is a genus of leaf-dwelling lichens in the family Pilocarpaceae. The genus was circumscribed by lichenologist Johannes Müller Argoviensis in 1890, with Tapellaria herpetospora assigned as the type species.
Mazosia is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Roccellaceae.
The Trypetheliaceae are a family of mainly lichen-forming fungi in the order Trypetheliales. The family consists almost exclusively of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichens with an almost strictly tropical distribution.
Gallaicolichen is a fungal genus that contains the single species Gallaicolichen pacificus, a foliicolous (leaf-dwelling) lichen. Originally discovered in Hawaii in 2007, G. pacificus has since been found in various locations across the Pacific, including Australia, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, the Philippines, and Japan. The lichen forms small, pale greenish-yellow to yellowish-grey patches on leaves, typically in mid-altitude forests and along forest edges. G. pacificus is notable for its unique reproductive structures called peltidiangia, which produce disc-shaped propagules (peltidia) for asexual reproduction. Initially, its taxonomic classification was uncertain, but recent discoveries of specimens with sexual reproductive structures have enabled scientists to confidently place it within the family Porinaceae.
Calenia is a genus of lichen-forming fungi within the family Gomphillaceae.
Pseudopyrenula is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Trypetheliaceae.
Eugeniella is a genus of mostly leaf-dwelling (foliicolous) lichens in the family Pilocarpaceae. It contains 13 species. The genus was circumscribed in 2008 by lichenologists Robert Lücking, Emmanuël Sérusiaux, and Klaus Kalb, with Eugeniella psychotriae assigned as the type species. This lichen was originally called Patellaria psychotriae by Johannes Müller Argoviensis in 1881. The seven species that were initially included in the genus had previously been placed in the genera Bacidia and Byssoloma. Several newly identified species from Australasia and Central and South America were later added. Most of the species grow on leaves, although four of the Australasian species grow on bark.
Phylloblastia is a genus of foliicolous (leaf-dwelling) lichens in the family Verrucariaceae. The genus was circumscribed in 1921 by Finnish lichenologist Edvard August Vainio, with Phylloblastia dolichospora assigned as the type species.
Pyrenidium is a genus of lichenicolous (lichen-dwelling) fungi. It is the only genus in the family Pyrenidiaceae. It has 13 species.
Phylloblastia verheyeniana is a species of foliicolous (leaf-dwelling) lichen in the family Verrucariaceae. Found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, it was formally described as a new species in 2014 by Dries Van den Broeck, Robert Lücking, and Damien Ertz. The type specimen was collected by the first author at the Lomami River at an altitude of 487 m (1,598 ft). It is only known to occur in the Congo Basin, where it grows on the leaves of understory plants and shrubs. The species epithet honours Museum of Natural Sciences of Belgium zoologist Erik Verheyen.
Aspidothelium is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Thelenellaceae. All species in the genus have a tropical distribution and are crustose with a chlorococcoid photobiont partner. Most Aspidothelium species are foliicolous (leaf-dwelling), although some corticolous (bark-dwelling) species are known, as well as a single saxicolous (rock-dwelling) member.
The Pyrenotrichaceae are a small family of fungi in the order Chaetothyriales. It contains two genera, and a total of six species. The genus Pyrenothrix has two species of bark- or leaf-dwelling lichens, while Neophaeococcomyces has four species of saprobic fungi.
Trichothelium subargenteum is a species of foliicolous (leaf-dwelling) crustose lichen in the family Porinaceae. Found in Bolivia, it was scientifically described in 2008 by the lichenologists Adam Flakus and Robert Lücking. The specific epithet subargenteum refers to its similarity to another species, T. argenteum, which has been found in Costa Rica and Argentina.
Phyllobathelium is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Strigulaceae. It comprises eight species of foliicolous (leaf-dwelling, crustose lichens.
Pseudoleptogium is a fungal genus in the family Collemataceae. It comprises the single species Pseudoleptogium diffractum, a saxicolous (rock-dwelling) crustose lichen that grows on calcareous rocks.