Peltigera rufescens

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Peltigera rufescens
Field Dog Lichen (3823910104).jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Ascomycota
Class: Lecanoromycetes
Order: Peltigerales
Family: Peltigeraceae
Genus: Peltigera
Species:
P. rufescens
Binomial name
Peltigera rufescens
(Weiss) Humb. (1793)
Synonyms [1]
List
  • Lichen caninus var. rufescensWeiss (1770)
  • Lichen rufescens(Weiss) Neck. (1771)
  • Peltidea canina var. rufescens(Weiss) Wahlenb. (1826)
  • Peltidea rufescens(Weiss) Ach. (1803)
  • Peltigera canina subsp. rufescens(Weiss) Lamy (1880)
  • Peltigera canina var. coriacea Kremp. (1861)
  • Peltigera canina var. rufescens(Weiss) Mudd (1861)

Peltigera rufescens, commonly known as the field dog lichen or field pelt, is a species of terricolous (ground-dwelling), foliose lichen in the family Peltigeraceae. This common and widespread species has a cosmopolitan distribution, often found in dry, sunny habitats on basic soils, limestone, and nutrient-rich silicate substrates. The lichen forms rosettes up to 20 cm in diameter, with a grey to brown thallus densely covered with a soft, velvety tomentum . Its lobes, typically 3–5 cm long and 5–10 mm wide, have distinctively curled upward edges. The underside features a network of veins and rhizines, which anchor the lichen to its substrate . P. rufescens reproduces both sexually through apothecia (fruiting bodies) and asexually via regeneration lobes. It forms a symbiotic relationship with cyanobacteria from the genus Nostoc as its photobiont. The species is notable for its ability to bioaccumulate heavy metals and its adaptive responses to UV-B radiation, making it a subject for ecological and physiological studies.

Contents

Taxonomy

The lichen was first formally described as a variety of Lichen caninus in 1770 by Friedrich Wilhelm Weiss. [1] At that time, lichens were classified in the eponymous genus Lichen, based on the influence of Carl Linnaeus and his 1753 work Species Plantarum . [2] Alexander von Humboldt transferred the taxon to the genus Peltigera and promoted it to the status of species in 1793. [3] Vernacular names used for the species in North America include "field dog lichen" [4] and "field pelt". [5]

The complete mitochondrial genome sequence of Peltigera rufescens was published in 2021. It has 65,199 base pairs and a cytosine+guanine content of 26.7%. Molecular phylogenetic analysis suggests a close relationship with Peltigera membranacea . [6]

Description

Peltigera rufescens has a grey to brown coloured thallus that is often covered with a heavy tomentum (closely matted or fine hairs). [4] It forms rosettes up to 20 cm (8 in) in diameter. [7] The lobes comprising the thallus usually measure 5–10 millimetres (0.2–0.4 in) wide and have edges that are curled upwards. Typically, the lobes are 3–5 cm (1.2–2.0 in) long. [8] Small "regeneration lobes" (0.1–0.3 mm) are often present at the edge of the thallus. [8] The undersurface of the thallus is strongly veined, dark in colour with a paler margin. The veins are raised but usually quite flat, rarely as high as they are wide, and not always clearly defined all the way to the periphery of the thallus. The spaces between veins are light-coloured, often very elongated, and about as wide to twice as wide as the veins (approximately 0.5–1 mm). [8] Rhizines on the underside affix the lichen to its substrate; near the centre they are so dense so as to form an almost continuous mat. In the outer part of the thallus, there are often distinctive long comb-like rows of protruding white hairs (less than 0.5 mm long) on the veins. [8] Fruiting bodies, or apothecia, are common in this species. They are saddle shaped and dark red brown in colour. [4] Isidia and soredia are absent in this species. [5] The ascospores usually have between 3 and 5 septa and measure 40–70 by 3–5  μm. Conidiomata are sometimes produced by the lichen; the conidia are 7–10 by 2.5–4.5 μm. [7] The photobiont partner of Peltigera rufescens is cyanobacteria from the genus Nostoc . [9]

No lichen products are associated with Peltigera rufescens, and consequently, the expected results of standard lichen spot tests are all negative. [7]

If grown in a metal-polluted environment, Peltigera rufescens will have a reduction in thallus size and in rhizine length, as well as denser growth of the rhizines, veins that are more profusely branched, and an increase in volume of the medulla. [10] When treated with mercury, cadmium, or nickel, P. rufescens chlorophyll α and carotenoid concentrations will also decrease. [11] [12] As with other lichens, P. rufescens is a bioaccumulator of heavy metals. This may be due to the thallus having a large surface area in contact with the substrate. P. rufescens also has free amino acid concentrations higher than other lichens in similar polluted habitats, comparable to vascular plants, suggesting that this may play a role in heavy metal tolerance. [13]

Reproductive structures

In 1971, Marie-Agnès Letrouit-Galinou and R. Lallemant published a study on the thallus, apothecia, and asci of Peltigera rufescens, using histological techniques and microscopic examination. The thallus was described as having a "cladomian" structure, evolving from axial filaments that are lodged in the veins. These filaments give rise to both short ventral pleuridia (lateral branchlets) and well-developed dorsal ramifications. The formation of apothecia is initiated by a limited number of marginal dorsal pleuridia, leading to a primary thallus resembling those in the families Lecanoraceae and Graphidaceae, with a distinct development process marked by a lengthy angiocarpic stage (a phase in the development where the apothecium is initially formed as a closed structure, enclosing the asci and ascospores). The asci were identified as bitunicate and 'archaeasce', signifying a complex reproductive structure. Additionally, the research investigated the cladomian, multi-axial structure of the thallus in detail, comparing it to similar structures in algae and highlighting the differentiation between dorsal and ventral pleuridia, which contribute to the thallus's growth and structure. [14]

Closeup of lobe surface Peltigera T81.JPG
Closeup of lobe surface

Habitat and distribution

Peltigera rufescens is a common and widespread lichen with a cosmopolitan distribution. It is most often encountered in dry, sunny habitats. It prefers more or less basic soils. [7] It also grows on limestone and dolomite (rarely on silicate rocks) as well as nutrient-rich silicate soils, including diverse environments like calcareous grasslands and stone structures. [15] Individuals that grow in association with mosses tend to grow more robustly and have a higher amount of chlorophyll α then those that do not. [16] Not only does the moss provides a buffer against extremes in temperature variation, the moss-associated thalli have higher photosynthetic rates, and increased protection against desiccation. Additionally, their thalli are thicker, leading to enhanced water retention. Mosses that have been recorded associating with Peltigera rufescens include Racomitrium heterostichum , Campylopus introflexus , Hypnum cupressiforme , and Polytrichum juniperinum . [16] A study of the high-elevation biological soil crust associated with the volcanic tephra in Hawaii's Haleakalā Crater found that Peltigera rufescens was one of the two important components of this crust (the other was the moss Grimmia torquata ) and occurred in about a quarter of soil specimens sampled. [17]

Ecology

Preussia peltigerae , [18] Dinemasporium strigosum , Lichenopenicillus versicolor , Nectriopsis lecanodes , Norrlinia peltigericola , [19] and Scutula didymospora are lichenicolous fungi that use Peltigera rufescens as a host. In the case of Scutula didymospora, the relationship appears to be commensalistic, as the fungus, which develops on the underside of the thallus, does not cause any damage, discolouration or galls. [20]

In one experiment, to test the effect of thallus hydration on metabolic activity, the photosystem II fluorescence of Peltigera rufescens was monitored for a full year. The lichen was inactive for 46.5% of the time, active during daylight for 25.6%, and hydrated at night for 27.9% of the time. Its photosynthetic activity and moisture levels were correlated with environmental conditions, with four distinct activity patterns discerned. Despite previous experimental findings suggesting high light could be harmful when the lichen is hydrated, field observations found little evidence of damage, suggesting an unknown photoprotection mechanism possibly involving certain carotenoids. [21] In a study examining the effects of long-term UV-B radiation on lichen species, Peltigera rufescens, typically found in open meadow spaces, demonstrated increased hydrogen peroxide content and superoxide dismutase activity, indicating a possible adaptive response to oxidative stress caused by UV-B exposure. This lichen species displayed a higher resilience to UV-B compared to Peltigera aphthosa , suggesting a species-specific response to UV-B radiation that likely stems from their typical habitat's light conditions. [22]

Bioactivity

Laboratory experiments suggest that extracts of Peltigera rufescens have insecticidal activity against the maize weevil (Sitophilus zeamais). [23]

Related Research Articles

<i>Peltigera</i> Genus of lichenised fungi in the family Peltigeraceae

Peltigera is a genus of approximately 100 species of foliose lichens in the family Peltigeraceae. Commonly known as the dog or pelt lichens, species of Peltigera are often terricolous, but can also occur on moss, trees, rocks, and many other substrates in many parts of the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peltigerales</span> Order of fungi

Peltigerales is an order of lichen-forming fungi belonging to the class Lecanoromycetes in the division Ascomycota. The taxonomy of the group has seen numerous changes; it was formerly often treated as a suborder of the order Lecanorales. It contains two suborders, eight families and about 45 genera such as Lobaria and Peltigera.

Sticta venosa is a species of terricolous (ground-dwelling), foliose lichen in the family Peltigeraceae. It is known only from Pichincha Province, Ecuador, and from Colombia. It was described as new to science in 2011.

<i>Megaspora</i> Genus of lichens

Megaspora is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Megasporaceae. It contains four species of crustose lichens that typically grow on soil, bryophytes, or plant litter on chalky substrates.

Peltigera vainioi is a species of lichen in the family Peltigeraceae. It is found in high-elevation locations in South America. It is a somewhat unusual species in its genus, characterized by a single holdfast that attaches to its substrate, and pores in its cortex.

<i>Peltigera canina</i> Species of lichen in the family Peltigeraceae

Peltigera canina, commonly known as the dog lichen, is a widely distributed species of foliose lichen in the family Peltigeraceae. It was originally described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1753 work Species Plantarum. German botanist Carl Ludwig Willdenow transferred it to the genus Peltigera in 1787. This species is currently undergoing research as it is likely multiple species under one united name.

<i>Peltigera lepidophora</i> Species of lichen in the family Peltigeraceae

Peltigera lepidophora, commonly known as the scaly pelt, is a species of foliose lichen in the family Peltigeraceae. It was first described by Finnish lichenologist Edvard August Vainio in 1878 as a variety of Peltigera canina. German botanist Friedrich August Georg Bitter promoted it to species status in 1904.

Peltigera papuana is a lichen-forming fungus in the family Peltigeraceae. It was described in 2009 from Madang Province of Papua New Guinea, which inspired its specific epithet. Genetic analysis of both the mycobiont and the photobiont, which is a Nostoc cyanobacterium, suggests that the evolutionary origin of Pelitgera papuana is from an ancient dispersal event from South America, although this remains inconclusive.

Peltigera shennongjiana is a species of terricolous (ground-dwelling), foliose lichen in the family Peltigeraceae. Found in Central China, it was formally described as a new species in 2019 by Liu-Fu Han and Shou-Yu Guo. The type specimen was collected from Laojunshan Mountain in the Shennongjia Forestry District at an elevation of 900 m (3,000 ft); here it was found growing on mosses over rocks and soil. The species epithet refers to the type locality.

Peltigera wulingensis is a species of terricolous (ground-dwelling), foliose lichen in the family Peltigeraceae. Originally described from specimens found in northern China, it has since been recorded in Canada, Norway, and Russia.

<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.

Peltigera fimbriata is a species of foliose lichen in the family Peltigeraceae. Found in Papua New Guinea, it was formally described as a new species in 2009 by lichenologists Orvo Vitikainen, Emmanuël Sérusiaux, Bernard Goffinet, and Jolanta Miądlikowska. The type specimen was collected between Mt. Sarawaket Southern Range and Iloko village The species epithet fimbriata refers to the characteristic long hairs that occur on the upper thallus surface.

Peltigera koponenii is a species of foliose lichen in the family Peltigeraceae. Found in Papua New Guinea, it was formally described as a new species in 2009 by Emmanuël Sérusiaux, Bernard Goffinet, Jolanta Miądlikowska, and Orvo Vitikainen. The type specimen was collected near Lake Wanba at an altitude of 2,400–2,500 m (7,900–8,200 ft), where it was found growing on a tree trunk in an open montane forest of Nothofagus and Pandanus. The species epithet honours Finnish bryologist Timo Koponen, "who made large and well processed collections of Peltigera in Papua New Guinea".

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

Peltigera hydrophila is a species of foliose lichen in the family Peltigeraceae. First described in 2020, it distinguishes itself through a distinct, hairless thallus that turns deep blue-violet when it becomes wet. Found primarily in the Magallanes Region of Chile, this small leafy lichen clings closely to mosses and other substrates. Distinctive features include the always-present reddish-brown to dark brown apothecia and the Peltigera-type ascospores that contain three internal partitions, or septa. Despite sharing a habitat with similar species like P. aubertii and P. frigida, P. hydrophila sets itself apart through its unique thallus surface texture and colour. This semi-aquatic lichen primarily thrives in humid forests, shrubby and herbaceous vegetation in southern Chile, particularly near waterfalls, streams, and other wet environments.

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

Peltigera cinnamomea, commonly known as the cinnamon-pelt lichen, is a muscicolous (moss-dwelling), leafy lichen in the family Peltigeraceae. The Canadian lichenologist Trevor Goward formally described the species in 1995. The lichen is found in northwestern North America's forested regions, particularly in the unique montane and subalpine forest communities of the northern Rocky Mountains. Peltigera cinnamomea grows under prolonged snow cover, surviving well into spring. This trait distinguishes it from many other Peltigera species in 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.

<i>Peltigera alkalicola</i> Species of lichen found in high-altitude habitats

Peltigera alkalicola is a rare species of terricolous (ground-dwelling) foliose lichen in the family Peltigeraceae. 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.

Peltigera isidiophora is a species of foliose lichen in the family Peltigeraceae. It is characterised by its laminal clustered isidia that grow in pits, a shiny and scarred grey upper surface, and its thin, sparse, and simple rhizines. It is known only from its original collection location in Hebei, China, where it grows on moss and on soil in montane forest.

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

Peltigera retifoveata is a species of foliose lichen in the family Peltigeraceae. It is found in Scandinavia, western Eurasia and western North America, where it grows on the ground and amongst mosses.

References

  1. 1 2 "Synonymy: Peltigera rufescens (Weiss) Humb., Fl. Friberg. Spec. (Berlin): 2 (1793)". Species Fungorum . Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  2. ↑ Jørgensen, Per M. (1994). "Linnaean lichen names and their typification". Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. 115 (4): 261–405. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8339.1994.tb01784.x.
  3. ↑ von Humboldt, A. (1793). Florae Fribergensis Specimen plantas cryptogamicas praesertim subterraneas exhibens (in Latin).
  4. 1 2 3 Brodo, Irwin M.; Sharnoff, Sylvia Duran; Sharnoff, Stephen (2001). Lichens of North America. Yale University Press. pp. 520–521. ISBN   978-0300082494.
  5. 1 2 McMullin, R. Troy (2023). Lichens. The Macrolichens of Ontario and the Great Lakes Region of the United States. Firefly Books. p. 361. ISBN   978-0-228-10369-1.
  6. ↑ Wang, Lidan; Mamut, Reyim (2021). "Mitochondrial genome from the lichenized fungus Peltigera rufescens (Weiss) Humb, 1793 (Ascomycota: Peltigeraceae)". Mitochondrial DNA Part B. 6 (8): 2186–2187. doi:10.1080/23802359.2021.1944374. PMC   8259810 . PMID   34263045.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Hitch, C.J.B; Fletcher, A.; James, P.W.; Purvis, O.W. (2009). "Peltiger". In Smith, C.W.; Aptroot, A.; Coppins, B.J.; Fletcher, A.; Gilbert, O.L.; James, P.W.; Wolseley, P.A. (eds.). The Lichens of Great Britain and Ireland. London: British Lichen Society; Natural History Museum. pp. 309–338. ISBN   978-0-9540418-8-5.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Carlin, Gunnar (1992). "Anteckningar om några arter av Peltigera canina-gruppen i Sverige" [Notes on the Swedish species of the Peltigera canina group](PDF). Graphis Scripta (in Swedish). 4: 5–17.
  9. ↑ Jüriado, Inga; Kaasalainen, Ulla; Jylhä, Maarit; Rikkinen, Jouko (2019). "Relationships between mycobiont identity, photobiont specificity and ecological preferences in the lichen genus Peltigera (Ascomycota) in Estonia (northeastern Europe)". Fungal Ecology. 39: 45–54. doi:10.1016/j.funeco.2018.11.005. hdl: 10138/309419 .
  10. ↑ Goyal, R.; Seaward, M.R.D. (1982). "Metal uptake in terricolous lichens. ii. effects on the morphology of Peltigera canina and Peltigera rufescens". New Phytologist. 90 (1): 73–84. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.1982.tb03243.x .
  11. ↑ Pisani, Tommaso; Munzi, Silvana; Paoli, Luca; Bačkor, Martin; Kováčik, Jozef; Piovár, Juraj; Loppi, Stefano (2011). "Physiological effects of mercury in the lichens Cladonia arbuscula subsp. mitis (Sandst.) Ruoss and Peltigera rufescens (Weiss) Humb". Chemosphere. 82 (7): 1030–1037. Bibcode:2011Chmsp..82.1030P. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2010.10.062. PMID   21094972.
  12. ↑ Bačkor, Martin; Kováčik, Jozef; Piovár, Juraj; Pisani, Tommaso; Loppi, Stefano (2010). "Physiological aspects of cadmium and nickel toxicity in the lichens Peltigera rufescens and Cladina arbuscula subsp. mitis". Water, Air, and Soil Pollution. 207 (1): 253–262. Bibcode:2010WASP..207..253B. doi:10.1007/s11270-009-0133-6.
  13. ↑ Bačkor, Martin; Klejdus, Bořivoj; Vantová, Ivana; Kováčik, Jozef (2009). "Physiological adaptations in the lichens Peltigera rufescens and Cladina arbuscula var. mitis, and the moss Racomitrium lanuginosum to copper-rich substrate". Chemosphere. 76 (10): 1340–1343. Bibcode:2009Chmsp..76.1340B. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2009.06.029. PMID   19595434.
  14. ↑ Letrouit-Galinou, Marie-Agnes; Lallemant, R. (1971). "Le thalle, les apotheces et les ascques du Peltigera rufescens (Weis) Humb. (Discolichen, Peltigeracée)" [The thallus, the apothecia, and the asci of Peltigera rufescens (Weis) Humb. (Discolichen, Peltigeraceae)]. The Lichenologist (in French). 5: 59–88. doi:10.1017/S0024282971000100.
  15. ↑ Wirth, Volkmar (1995). Die Flechten Baden-Württembergs (in German). Vol. 2. Stuttgart: Ulmer. pp. 689–691. ISBN   978-3800133253.
  16. 1 2 Colesie, Claudia; Scheu, Sarah; Green, T.G. Allan; Weber, Bettina; Wirth, Rainer; Büdel, Burkhard (2011). "The advantage of growing on moss: facilitative effects on photosynthetic performance and growth in the cyanobacterial lichen Peltigera rufescens". Oecologia. 169 (3): 599–607. doi:10.1007/s00442-011-2224-5. PMID   22183705.
  17. ↑ Pérez, Francisco L. (2020). "Growth of Grimmia mosses on volcanic tephra: Geoecological processes of biocrust development in Haleakalā crater (Maui, Hawai′i)". CATENA. 195: e104911. Bibcode:2020Caten.19504911P. doi:10.1016/j.catena.2020.104911.
  18. ↑ Diederich, Paul; Lawrey, James D.; Ertz, Damien (2018). "The 2018 classification and checklist of lichenicolous fungi, with 2000 non-lichenized, obligately lichenicolous taxa". The Bryologist. 121 (3): 340–425 (see p. 371). doi:10.1639/0007-2745-121.3.340.
  19. ↑ Etayo, J. (2017). Hongos liquenícolas de Ecuador (PDF). Opera Lilloana (in Spanish). Vol. 50. San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina: Fundación Miguel Lillo. pp. 152, 180, 253, 296, 321.
  20. ↑ Hawksworth, David L.; Miądlikowska, Jolanta (1997). "New species of lichenicolous fungi occurring on Peltigera in Ecuador and Europe". Mycological Research. 101 (9): 1127–1134. doi:10.1017/s0953756297003778.
  21. ↑ Lange, Otto L.; Leisner, Johanna M.R.; Bilger, Wolfgang (1999). "Chlorophyll fluorescence characteristics of the cyanobacterial lichen Peltigera rufescens under field conditions". Flora. 194 (4): 413–430. doi:10.1016/s0367-2530(17)30932-5.
  22. ↑ Shelyakin, Mikhail A.; Silina, Ekaterina V.; Golovko, Tamara K. (2001). "The effect of UV-B radiation on the antioxidant system in the Peltigera aphthosa and Peltigera rufescens lichens". Journal of Siberian Federal University. Biology. 14 (3). Siberian Federal University: 328–338. doi: 10.17516/1997-1389-0359 .
  23. ↑ Yildirim, E.; Emsen, B.; Aslan, A.; Bulak, Y.; Ercisli, S. (2012). "Insecticidal activity of lichens against the maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)". Egyptian Journal of Biological Pest Control. 22: 151–156.
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