| Phyllocraterina | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Dothideomycetes |
| Order: | Strigulales |
| Family: | Strigulaceae |
| Genus: | Phyllocraterina Sérus. & Aptroot (2020) |
| Species | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
| |
Phyllocraterina is a small genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Strigulaceae. [2] It comprises two species of leaf-dwelling (foliicolous) lichens. [3]
The genus was first proposed as Phyllocratera by the lichenologists Emmanuël Sérusiaux and André Aptroot in 1997. [4] This name, however, was later deemed illegitimate under Article 53.1 of the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants, due to prior use in botany. A similar name, Phyllocrater Wernham , had been established in 1914 for a genus in the family Rubiaceae. [5] The Nomenclature Committee for Fungi determined that the similarity between Phyllocratera and Phyllocrater constituted a case of parahomonymy, leading to its invalidation. [6] As a result, Sérusiaux and Aptroot established Phyllocraterina as a replacement name, publishing it alongside the type species Phyllocraterina papuana. While the genus currently includes two species, molecular data are not yet available for either. [6]
Phyllocraterina species are tropical lichens that grow on the surfaces of leaves in lowland to montane regions. Their thalli (lichen bodies) are thin, grey-green, and slightly crust-like, forming a close bond with their green algae partner, Phycopeltis . The reproductive structures (the perithecia ) are black and wart-like, with a broad base and a small pore at the top for spore release. These structures have tough, carbon-rich walls and a protective outer layer. [6]
Inside the perithecia, there are slender, unbranched filaments (paraphyses) that are clear and measure about 1.5–2 micrometres wide. The spore-producing cells (asci) contain eight spores each. These asci are structured in a way that allows them to split open for spore release. The spores themselves are transparent, have multiple internal walls, and are shaped like elongated ellipses with a slight pinch at the middle. So far, no form of asexual reproduction has been observed, and no chemical compounds (lichen products) unique to these lichens have been detected. [6]