Phacopsis australis

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Phacopsis australis
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Ascomycota
Class: Lecanoromycetes
Order: Lecanorales
Family: Parmeliaceae
Genus: Phacopsis
Species:
P. australis
Binomial name
Phacopsis australis
Aptroot & Triebel (2002)

Phacopsis australis is a species of lichenicolous (lichen-dwelling) fungus in the family Parmeliaceae. It is found in a few locations in South Africa, where it grows on the thalli of several species of the leafy lichen genus Xanthoparmelia . Unlike other members of genus Phacopsis , the fungus does not induce the formation of galls in its host.

Contents

Taxonomy

The fungus was formally described as a new species in 2002 by lichenologists André Aptroot and Dagmar Triebel. The type specimen was collected from a farm in the Droekloof Mountains (Willowmore, Cape Province) at an altitude of 850 m (2,790 ft). Here it was found growing on Paraparmelia molybdiza, [1] a foliose (leafy) and saxicolous (rock-dwelling) lichen that is now known as Xanthoparmelia molybdiza . [1]

Description

Phacopsis australis grows superficially (i.e., on the surface) on the thallus of its host. Unlike other members of the genus Phacopsis, it is cecidogenous, meaning it does not cause the formation of galls in the host. Its apothecia are dark brown to black, range from sessile to slightly immersed in the thallus, and measure 0.2–0.4 mm in diameter. The hypothecium (the tissue in the apothecium immediately below the subhymenium) is hyaline (colourless) to pale brown, measuring about 20–60 μm thick. The ascospores are ellipsoid to fusiform (spindle-shaped) and contain oil droplets; they typically measure 12–15 by 5.5–7  μm with a 0.5 μm-thick spore wall. [1]

Known hosts for Phacopsis australis are all from the genus Xanthoparmelia : X. annexa , X. molybdiza , X. conspersa and X. incerta . [1]

Lecanora lasalliae is quite similar in appearance to Phacopsis australis, but this lookalike lacks algae in its excipulum (the rim of tissue around the apothecia), and has larger ascospores. [2]

Distribution

Phacopsis australis is only known from a few collections, in Cape Province and in the Drakensberg region of KwaZulu-Natal. Although one of its hosts, X. conspersa, has a cosmopolitan distribution with many specimens having been studied, the fungus has not been recorded occurring out of South Africa. [1]

Related Research Articles

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Phacopsis is a genus of lichenicolous (lichen-dwelling) fungi. They are parasites of members of the large lichen family Parmeliaceae, of which they are also a member. Originally proposed by Edmond Tulasne in 1852 to contain 3 species, Phacopsis now contains 10 species, although historically, 33 taxa have been described in the genus. Many of the species are poorly known, some of them having been documented only from the type specimen.

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<i>Lecanora confusa</i> Species of lichen

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Astrothelium flavomurisporum is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Trypetheliaceae. Found in Brazil, it was formally described as a new species in 2016 by lichenologists André Aptroot and Marcela Cáceres. The type specimen was collected by the authors from the Estação Ecológica de Cuniã, in a low-altitude primary rainforest. The lichen has a smooth and somewhat shiny, olive-green thallus that lacks a prothallus and covers areas of up to 7 cm (2.8 in) in diameter. The ascomata are pear-shaped (pyriform), measuring 0.5–0.7 mm in diameter, and typically aggregate in groups of two to five, usually quite immersed in the bark tissue. Ascospores are hyaline, ellipsoid, and muriform ; they measure 165–200 by 28–35 μm and have a thickened central septum. The presence of the lichen does not induce the formation of galls in the host. Thin-layer chromatography did not reveal the presence of any lichen products in the collected lichen samples. The characteristics that distinguish Astrothelium flavomurisporum from other members of Astrothelium include the dispersed groups of fused, immersed ascomata; and the median thickening of the ascospores.

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<i>Leproplaca cirrochroa</i> Species of lichen

Leproplaca cirrochroa is a widespread and common species of saxicolous (rock-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Teloschistaceae. It grows up to 5 cm across, featuring a placodioid thallus with narrow, finger-like lobes that adhere closely to the surface, showing intricate division and ranging in colour from dirty orange to brownish orange, often with paler, pruinose orange ends.

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Caloplaca lecanorocarpa is a species of saxicolous (rock-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Teloschistaceae. Found in Brazil, it was formally described as a new species in 2016 by the lichenologists André Aptroot and Marcela Cáceres. It is named for its overall appearance to lichens in the Lecanora subfusca species complex.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Aptroot, André; Triebel, Dagmar (2002). "A new Phacopsis species on Paraparmelia and Xanthoparmelia in southern Africa". Nova Hedwigia. 74 (3–4): 405–409. doi:10.1127/0029-5035/2002/0074-0405.
  2. Pérez-Ortega, Sergio; Etayo, Javier (2008). "A new species of Lecanoras. lat., growing on Lasallia pustulata". The Lichenologist. 40 (2): 111–118. doi:10.1017/s0024282908007469. S2CID   86083647.