Peltigera alkalicola

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Peltigera alkalicola
Peltigera alkalicola.png
Various images of Peltigera alkalicola;
scales: A, C–E = 0.5 cm; B = 1 cm
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Ascomycota
Class: Lecanoromycetes
Order: Peltigerales
Family: Peltigeraceae
Genus: Peltigera
Species:
P. alkalicola
Binomial name
Peltigera alkalicola
Kaasalainen (2022)
Peltigera alkalicola
Holotype: Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania

Peltigera alkalicola is a rare species of terricolous (ground-dwelling) foliose lichen in the family Peltigeraceae. [1] First described in 2022 from specimens collected in the Kilimanjaro National Park in Tanzania, it is characterised by its unique ecological preferences. Analysis of DNA samples indicate that the lichen may also occur in Alaska, USA, and Ningxia, China, suggesting a wider distribution in cold, montane ecosystems.

Contents

Taxonomy

Peltigera alkalicola was formally described by the Finnish lichenologist Ulla Kaasalainen in 2022. It is closely related to Peltigera lepidophora but can be distinguished by its smaller size, the distinct colour of its isidia, and its genetic makeup. The type specimen of Peltigera alkalicola was collected in Tanzania within the Kilimanjaro National Park, specifically between the Maua and Marangu routes. It was found on soil amidst Helichrysum heath at an elevation of 4,390 m (14,400 ft). This collection, made on 8 June 2017, is designated as the holotype. The specific epithet alkalicola refers to the species' preference for alkaline substrates, particularly the alkaline trachybasaltic lava found in its type locality. [2]

Description

Peltigera alkalicola forms a small thallus, typically 1–5 cm (38–2 in) in diameter, but usually smaller, about 1–2 cm (3834 in). It has thick, rounded to elongate lobes that are up to 1–2 cm long and 1 cm wide. The lobes often have rounded ends with upturned margins and may appear slightly crisped. The upper surface is tomentose , often slightly scabrous , and greyish-brown in colour. In contrast, the lower surface is generally white to pale brown, with veins that are the same colour or slightly darker and rhizines that are more abundant centrally, becoming shorter near the margins. This species develops peltate isidia, which are small, dark brown to almost black outgrowths on the upper surface that are distinctly darker than the thallus surface. [2]

The species does not typically produce apothecia (sexual reproductive structures) or pycnidia (asexual reproductive structures), and no secondary metabolites (lichen products) have been detected by thin-layer chromatography. All standard chemical spot tests are negative. [2]

Habitat, distribution, and ecology

Peltigera alkalicola is found in high-elevation habitats, specifically in open, subalpine and alpine heathlands at elevations between 3,940 and 4,390 m (12,930 and 14,400 ft). It is adapted to growing on trachybasaltic volcanic rock, a type of alkaline substrate , and is often associated with sparse vegetation and bryophytes. At the time of its original publication, the species was known to occur only from a few locations on Mt Kilimanjaro and is considered rare. The collection sites for Peltigera alkalicola receive between 900 and 1,100 mm (35 and 43 in) of rainfall annually, maintain a relative humidity of 60 to 80%, and have an average annual temperature of 4 °C (39 °F). [2]

Initially discovered in Tanzania, genetic analysis suggests that Peltigera alkalicola may also be present in Alaska, USA, and Ningxia, China, indicating a wider distribution across diverse and extreme habitats. This distribution pattern highlights the species' preference for cold, montane regions and alkaline substrata. [2]

Related Research Articles

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<i>Peltigera rufescens</i> Species of lichen

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<i>Solorina crocea</i> Species of lichen

Solorina crocea, commonly known as the orange chocolate chip lichen, is a species of terricolous (ground-dwelling) and foliose (leafy) lichen in the family Peltigeraceae. The lichen, which was first formally described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753, has an arctic–alpine and circumpolar distribution and occurs in Asia, Europe, North America, and New Zealand. It generally grows on the bare ground in sandy soils, often in moist soil near snow patches or seepage areas. Although several forms and varieties of the lichen have been proposed in its history, these are not considered to have any independent taxonomic significance.

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<i>Pseudevernia consocians</i> Species of lichen

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Peltigera weberi is a rare species of foliose lichen in the family Peltigeraceae. It is found in Papua New Guinea, where it grows on road banks and on earth and rock debris.

Peltigera seneca is a rare species of foliose lichen in the family Peltigeraceae. Native to eastern North America, it was first identified in Pennsylvania's Tioga State Forest, where it grows on humus and mossy rocks. It is similar to the Peltigera polydactylon, but with distinct genetic, geographic, and chemical characteristics. P. seneca is characterized by its small thalli with narrow lobes and a pale zone on margins of its lower thallus surface.

Hypogymnia saxicola is a rare species of foliose lichen in the family Parmeliaceae. Found in Yunnan and Sichuan provinces of China, it forms delicate cushions on mossy rocks in subalpine regions. It is characterised by its slender, glossy brown lobes and unique chemistry.

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<i>Pyxine petricola</i> Species of lichen

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<i>Peltigera cinnamomea</i> Species of lichen

Peltigera cinnamomea, the dog pelt or cinnamon-pelt lichen, is a species of muscicolous (moss-dwelling), foliose lichen in the family Peltigeraceae. The species was formally described by the Canadian lichenologist Trevor Goward in 1995. The lichen is found in forested regions of northwestern North America, particularly in the unique montane and subalpine forest communities of the northern Rocky Mountains. Notably, Peltigera cinnamomea thrives under prolonged snow cover, surviving well into the spring, which distinguishes it from many of the other Peltigera species that inhabit similar North American forest ecosystems.

<i>Peltigera castanea</i> Species of lichen

Peltigera castanea is a species of terricolous and muscicolous, foliose lichen in the family Peltigeraceae. Described as a new species in 2003, it is part of the taxonomically challenging species complex centred around Peltigera didactyla. Recognised based on phylogenetic studies that highlighted its unique genetic markers, P. castanea is distinguished by its dark, chestnut-coloured upper surface, which inspired its vernacular name, chestnut pelt lichen. Its known distribution includes North America, Asia, Europe (Estonia), Greenland, and the Antarctic. The conservation status of Peltigera castanea varies regionally, from being critically imperiled in British Columbia and Yukon to critically endangered in Estonia due to significant habitat degradation and restricted population size.

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References

  1. "Peltigera alkalicola Kaasalainen". Catalogue of Life . Species 2000: Leiden, the Netherlands. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Kaasalainen, Ulla; Biermann, Lea; Mollel, Neduvoto P.; Schmidt, Alexander R.; Hemp, Andreas (2022). "Peltigera (Lecanoromycetes) on Mt Kilimanjaro, East Africa". The Lichenologist. 54 (5): 231–243. doi:10.1017/S0024282922000184.