Paraschismatomma

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Paraschismatomma
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Ascomycota
Class: Arthoniomycetes
Order: Arthoniales
Family: Opegraphaceae
Genus: Paraschismatomma
Ertz & Tehler (2011)
Species:
P. ochroleucum
Binomial name
Paraschismatomma ochroleucum
(Zahlbr.) K.Knudsen, Ertz & Tehler (2011)
Synonyms [1] [2]
  • Chiodecton ochroleucumZahlbr. (1900)
  • Platygrapha plurilocularisZahlbr. (1902)
  • Schismatomma pluriloculare(Zahlbr.) Zahlbr. (1923)

Paraschismatomma is a fungal genus in the family Opegraphaceae. [3] [4] It comprises a single species, Paraschismatomma ochroleucum, a crustose lichen found along the western coast of North America from northern California to Baja California. The lichen grows as a thin, greenish-white crust on dead twigs, branches, and tree bark near the ocean. First described by the lichenologist Alexander Zahlbruckner in 1900, P. ochroleucum has undergone several name changes before being classified in its own genus in 2011.

Contents

Taxonomy

Paraschismatomma is a genus of lichen that was circumscribed by the lichenologists Damien Ertz and Anders Tehler in 2011. The genus is monospecific, which means it contains only one species: Paraschismatomma ochroleucum. This species serves as the type species for the genus, providing the defining example of the characteristics of Paraschismatomma. The type specimen for the taxon was collected by Blanche Trask from Santa Catalina Island, California. The lichen was found growing on twigs of Rhus integrifolia, a plant now known as Malosma laurina or lemonade berry. [2]

The species has undergone several name changes since its initial description. It was first identified as Chiodecton ochroleucum by Alexander Zahlbruckner in 1900. [5] Two years later, in 1902, he renamed it Platygrapha plurilocularis. [6] Two decades after that, in 1922, he transferred it to the genus Schismatomma . [7] Finally, in 2011, Kerry Knudsen, Damien Ertz, and Anders Tehler reclassified it under its current name, Paraschismatomma ochroleucum. [2]

In terms of type specimens, which are used as reference points for species identification, the lectotype of Paraschismatomma ochroleucum is housed in the Natural History Museum Vienna (W). A lectotype is a specimen selected to serve as the defining example of the species when no holotype was originally designated. Additional type specimens, known as isolectotypes, are stored in the Farlow Herbarium and the New York Botanical Garden. [2]

Description

Paraschismatomma grows as a thin, crust-like layer on its substrate. Its thallus, or main body, is typically 0.2 to 1 mm thick with a slightly bumpy texture and may appear cracked while remaining cohesive. The upper surface of the thallus is greenish-white in color. A feature of P. ochroleucum is the frequent presence of soralia, which are specialized structures for asexual reproduction appearing as powdery eruptions on the lichen surface. These soralia start as small dots or spots but can merge to cover larger areas as the lichen ages. [8]

The thallus is covered by a protective layer called the cortex , which is 20–40 μm thick and composed of intertwined fungal filaments. The sexual reproductive structures, called ascomata, may be numerous or absent in P. ochroleucum. When present, they are circular, sitting on the surface of the thallus with a constricted base, and measure 0.5–2 mm in diameter. The disc of the ascomata is flat or slightly concave, covered with a white, powdery substance, and surrounded by a prominent, wavy-edged margin. [8]

Beneath the disc is a dark brown layer called the proper exciple , which can be up to 100 μm thick. The spore-producing layer is 50–65 μm high and contains branched and intertwined paraphysoids , which are sterile filaments between the spore-producing structures. The spores themselves are spindle-shaped, straight or curved, clear (hyaline), and typically have 7–11 septa (internal dividing walls). They measure 22–38 μm in length and 4–6 μm in width. [8]

When tested with chemical spot tests, the thallus of P. ochroleucum is K−, C+ (red), KC+ (red), and P−. The lichen contains a secondary metabolite called lecanoric acid. [8]

Habitat and distribution

Paraschismatomma ochroleucum is a lichen species with a specific habitat preference and a limited geographical distribution. It is primarily found in coastal areas along the western coast of North America. This species shows a strong affinity for woody substrates. It is most commonly observed growing on dead twigs and branches. However, it can also be found on the bark of various living shrubs and trees. [8]

Geographically, P. ochroleucum has a relatively narrow distribution range. It is found sparsely along the Pacific coast, extending from Monterey County in northern California southward to central Baja California in Mexico. This distribution pattern indicates that the species is adapted to the specific environmental conditions present in these coastal areas, which may include factors such as moderate temperatures, high humidity, and potentially salt spray from the ocean. [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roccellaceae</span> Family of lichen-forming fungi

The Roccellaceae are a family of mostly lichen-forming fungi in the order Arthoniales, established by the French botanist François Fulgis Chevallier in 1826. Species in the family exhibit various growth forms, including crustose and fruticose (shrub-like) thalli, and diverse reproductive structures. Roccellaceae species typically have disc-like or slit-like fruiting bodies, often with distinct blackened margins. Molecular phylogenetics studies have revealed considerable genetic diversity and complex evolutionary histories within the family.

<i>Roccella</i> (lichen) Genus of lichens in the family Roccellaceae

Roccella is a genus of 23 species of lichens in the family Roccellaceae. The genus was circumscribed by Swiss botanist Augustin Pyramus de Candolle in 1805, with Roccella fuciformis as the type species.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roccellographaceae</span> Family of lichen-forming fungi

Roccellographaceae is a family of lichen-forming fungi in the order Arthoniales. It contains three genera: Dimidiographa, Fulvophyton, and Roccellographa.

Dictyographa is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Opegraphaceae. It comprises three species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichens. The genus was originally described by the Swiss scientist Johannes Müller Argoviensis in 1893, who distinguished it from related genera by its unique spore structure and interconnected filaments within its reproductive organs. Dictyographa lichens are characterised by their elongated, slit-like fruiting bodies and spores that are divided by both vertical and horizontal internal walls. The genus has been subject to taxonomic debate, with some researchers proposing to merge it with the related genus Opegrapha. However, genetic studies have since confirmed Dictyographa as a distinct evolutionary lineage. These lichens are found in various parts of the world, including Africa, the Middle East, and Hawaii, typically growing in coastal environments.

Diromma is a monotypic fungal genus in the family Roccellaceae. It contains the single species Diromma dirinellum, a rare crustose lichen that grows as a parasite on the lichen Dirina ceratoniae. It has a distribution restricted to the Mediterranean Basin.

Dirina catalinariae is a species of saxicolous (rock-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Roccellaceae. It occurs in the southwestern United States, Mexico, and the Galápagos Islands.

Dirina arabica is a species of saxicolous (rock-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Roccellaceae. Found in Socotra, it was formally described as a new species in 2013 by lichenologists Anders Tehler and Damien Ernst. The type specimen was collected by the first author near the village in Homill, at an altitude of 350 m (1,150 ft). The species epithet refers to Arabia, the geographical location encompassing the type locality. The lichen is endemic to Socotra, where it grows on Eocene limestone rocks. It has a creamy-white, slightly pruinose thallus that is 0.1–0.5 mm thick and a chalk-like medulla. There are no soralia on the thallus. The ascomata have a circular outline and measure up to 2.0 mm in diameter, and have a pruinose, white-grey disc with a thalline margin. Dirina arabica is a sister species to Dirina immersa, a sympatric species that can be distinguished from the former by its immersed ascomata.

Dirina badia is a species of crustose lichen in the family Roccellaceae. It is found on the small desert mountains of northern Peru, where it grows on both stone and on bark.

Dirina canariensis is a species of saxicolous (rock-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Roccellaceae. It is found in the Canary Islands, where it grows on vertical cliffs and acidic rocks. It was formally described as a new species in 2013 by lichenologists Anders Tehler and Damien Ertz. The type specimen was collected by the first author from the Puerto de Mogán ; the species epithet refers to the type locality. The lichen has a creamy-white to brownish-white thallus, a chalk-like medulla, and either soralia or apothecia on the thallus surface. If apothecia are present, they have a circular outline with a diameter of up to 1.5 mm; the discs are pruinose and encircled by a thalline margin. Ascospores measure 20–25 by 4–5 μm. The closest relatives of Dirina canariensis are the European species D. ceratoniae, D. massiliensis, and D. fallax.

Dirina cretacea is a species of saxicolous (rock-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Roccellaceae. Its distribution is largely in the eastern Mediterranean, and in Andalusia, Spain. It was formally described as a new species in 1899 by Alexander Zahlbruckner as a member of the genus Chiodecton. The type specimen was collected in Croatia. Anders Tehler transferred it to the genus Dirina in 1983. The lichen has a whitish-grey thallus lacking soralia, and a chalk-like medulla. Its ascomata have a circular outline and a diameter of up to 3.8 mm; the apothecial disc is also white grey with a layer of pruina, and is surrounded by a thalline margin. Ascospores measure 19–23 by 5–6 μm.

Vigneronia spieri is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Roccellaceae. It is found in the Galápagos Islands, mainland Ecuador and the Antilles (Curaçao).

Dirina indica is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Roccellaceae. It is found on the west coast of India (Gujarat), the southern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in Yemen, and on Socotra Island, where it grows on the bark of various trees and shrubs.

Dirina monothalamia is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling) in the family Roccellaceae. It occurs in Cape Verde and the nearby mainland of Senegal, where it is found in coastal outcrops on the bark of various trees; Senegalese populations are often on the bark of African baobab.

Dirina pacifica is a species of saxicolous (rock-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Roccellaceae. It is found in both Hawaii and the Galápagos Islands, where it grows in coastal outcrops. The lichen was formally described as a new species in 2013 by Anders Tehler and Damien Ertz. The type specimen was collected from Koolaupoko. The species epithet refers to the Pacific Ocean. It has a creamy white to greyish or brownish thallus lacking pruina, and a chalk-like medulla. Its ascomata have a circular outline up to 1.5 mm in diameter, with a whitish-grey disc. Its ascospores measure 19–27 by 4–5 μm. Dirina pacifica contains the lichen products erythrin, lecanoric acid, and sometimes three unidentified substances named "C", "F", and "G".

Dimidiographa is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Roccellographaceae. It has three species of crustose lichens, with Dimidiographa loandensis serving as the type species.

Enterographa incognita is a little-known species of crustose lichen in the family Roccellaceae. Found in Southeast Thailand, it is characterised by its sorediate features and its distinct ascomata and ascospores. This lichen, only known to occur in its type locality, thrives on large trunks in a mangrove environment.

<i>Fulvophyton</i> Genus of lichens

Fulvophyton is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Roccellographaceae. It has 11 species. Fulvophyton is characterised by its crust-like thallus, which is often pale yellowish-brown in colour. This genus features a photobiont from the green algal genus Trentepohlia and exhibits a unique arrangement of reproductive structures.

Lecanactis borbonica is a rare species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), lichen in the family Roccellaceae. Found exclusively in Réunion, it forms a crustose thallus and is characterised by its rounded ascomata and the presence of specific chemical compounds.

Sparria is a small genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Opegraphaceae.

References

  1. ↑ "Synonymy. Current Name: Paraschismatomma ochroleucum (Zahlbr.) K. Knudsen, Ertz & Tehler, in Ertz & Tehler, Fungal Diversity 49(1): 57 (2011)". Species Fungorum . Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Ertz, Damien; Tehler, Anders (2011). "The phylogeny of Arthoniales (Pezizomycotina) inferred from nucLSU and RPB2 sequences". Fungal Diversity. 49 (1): 47–71. doi: 10.1007/s13225-010-0080-y .
  3. ↑ "Paraschismatomma". Catalogue of Life . Species 2000: Leiden, the Netherlands. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  4. ↑ Wijayawardene, N.N.; Hyde, K.D.; Dai, D.Q.; Sánchez-García, M.; Goto, B.T.; Saxena, R.K.; et al. (2022). "Outline of Fungi and fungus-like taxa – 2021". Mycosphere. 13 (1): 53–453 [89]. doi:10.5943/mycosphere/13/1/2. hdl: 1854/LU-8754813 .
  5. ↑ Zahlbruckner, A. (1900). "Beiträge zur Flechten-Flora Süd-Californiens". Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club (in German). 27 (12): 642–647.
  6. ↑ Zahlbruckner, A. (1902). "Diagnosen neuer und genügend beschriebener kalifornischer Flechten". Beihefte zum Botanischen Centralblatt (in German). 13: 149–163.
  7. ↑ Zahlbruckner, A. (1923). Catalogus Lichenum Universalis (in Latin). Vol. 2. p. 563.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Tehler, A. (2002). "Schizopelte". In Nash III, T.H.; Ryan, B.D.; Gries, C.; Bungartz, F. (eds.). Lichen flora of the Greater Sonoran Desert Region. Vol. I. Tempe, Arizona: Lichens Unlimited, Arizona State University. pp. 457–458.
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