Pilophorus acicularis

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Pilophorus acicularis
Pilophorus acicularis 109164.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Ascomycota
Class: Lecanoromycetes
Order: Lecanorales
Family: Cladoniaceae
Genus: Pilophorus
Species:
P. acicularis
Binomial name
Pilophorus acicularis
(Ach.) Th. Fr. (1857)
Synonyms [1]
  • Baeomyces acicularisAch. (1803)
  • Cenomyces acicularis(Ach.) Ach. (1810)
  • Cladonia acicularis(Ach.) Fr. (1831)
  • Stereocaulon aciculare(Ach.) Tuck. (1845)
  • Pilophoron aciculare(Ach.) Nyl. (1857)

Pilophorus acicularis, commonly known as the nail lichen or the devil's matchstick lichen, [2] is a species of matchstick lichen in the family Cladoniaceae.

Contents

P. aciculare has both crustose (crust-like) and fruticose thallus (shrub-like) body parts. [3] The lichen starts out as a granular crust on the rock surface, and develops fruticose stalks, or pseudopodetia, up to 3 cm (1.2 in) tall and about 1 mm thick that have rounded black apothecia at the tips. The stalks are erect and curved so as to appear combed. It grows directly on silicate rocks in dense clusters. It is found on the west coast of North America up to Alaska, and in eastern Eurasia. In addition to green algae, the lichen contains cyanobacteria that help contribute to soil fertility by supplying fixed nitrogen.

It was originally described in 1803, and transferred to the genus Pilophorus in 1857.

History, taxonomy and phylogeny

Several members of the family Sphaerophoraceae

Cladonia bellidiflora (Cladoniaceae)

Pilophorus acicularis (Cladoniaceae)

Stereocaulon ramulosum (Stereocaulaceae)

Lecanora dispersa (Lecanoraceae)

Phylogeny and relationships of P. acicula and other species of Lecanorales based on analysis of nuclear SSU rDNA sequences. Familial placement is shown in parentheses. [4]

The species was first described in 1803 as Baeomyces acicularis by the Swedish botanist and "father of lichenology" Erik Acharius. [5] The taxon was transferred to several different genera in the next few decades resulting in several synonyms, including Cenomyces acicularis (by Acharius in 1810), Cladonia acicularis (Elias Magnus Fries in 1831), and Stereocaulon aciculare (Edward Tuckerman in 1845). [1] Elias Fries's son Thore Magnus transferred the species to his then newly created genus Pilophorus in 1857. [6] William Nylander also published the combination Pilophorus acicularis in 1857, [7] but later analysis suggested that Fries's combination was published first, and under the Principle of Priority, the correct citation of the species is Pilophorus acicularis (Ach.) Th.Fr. (1857). [8]

The genus Pilophorus was until recently considered to be a member of the family Stereocaulaceae by some authors. [9] [10] [11] Analysis of small subunit ribosomal DNA sequences showed P. acicularis to be more closely related to the Cladoniaceae, rather than the Stereocaulaceae. [12]

The specific epithet aciculare is derived from the Latin acicularis, meaning "needle-like". [13] The lichen is commonly known as the "devil's matchstick"; [14] the common name for the genus—"nail lichen"—is also used. [15]

Description

A crust-like thallus and developing pseudopodetia are evident beside taller, more mature pseudopodetia. Pilophorus acicularis 45181.jpg
A crust-like thallus and developing pseudopodetia are evident beside taller, more mature pseudopodetia.

The thallus is the vegetative body of a lichen that contains the lichen mycobiont (fungus) and the photobiont (algae and/or cyanobacteria). In P. acicularis, the primary thallus (thallus horizontalis) is spread out like a granular crust on the surface of its substrate. It is light green when young, but becomes gray in age or when dry. [16] The pseudopodetia (upright stalk-like extensions of the thallus made of vegetative tissue) range from 0.5 to 3 cm (0.2 to 1.2 in) high, and are about 1 mm thick; they grow in dense clusters. Most pseudopodetia are either unbranched or forked into two branches, with the stalks curved so as to appear as if combed; less frequently, they are erect like pins, and up to 1 cm (0.4 in) tall. Some specimens are highly branched in the upper part of the pseudopodetia, causing them to bear some resemblance to P. robustus , although this morphology is uncommon. Internally, the pseudopodetia are solid when young, becoming hollow with age, and are composed of long, thin, highly gelatinized hyphae with narrow cavities about 0.5  μm wide. The lower part of older pseudopodetia becomes blackened internally. The algal layer is not continuous—contrasting with lichen species that have thalli that stratify into discrete tissue types, including a photobiont layer—and occurs with the mycobiont in the form of granules. These granules may be absent from some parts of the thallus surface. Pycnidia (flask-like structures, resembling perithecia, in which conidia are produced) occur in the tips of small sterile pseudopodetia or in the tips of small lateral branches of older pseudopodetia. [9]

The conidiophores of P. acicularis are 30 μm long, and unbranched. They have terminal sickle-shaped conidia that measure 6 by 1 μm. The apothecia (reproductive structures covered with the spore-producing asci) are abundant, usually with one or several on the tips of the pseudopodetia. They are black, hemispherical or roughly triangular, and measure up to 1.5 mm in diameter. The hymenium (the fertile spore-bearing layer of cells containing the asci) is up to 240 μm thick, and about two-thirds of it is pigmented; the lower part of the hymenium is sterile, consisting of only paraphyses. The asci are eight-spored. The ascospores are rounded when young, becoming spindle-shaped when mature, with dimensions of 21.0–29.5 by 4.5–5.5 μm. The generative tissue (hyphae that eventually forms the thallus) is closely interwoven with short, broad cells that have large cavities. The generative tissue is pigmented black-brown, with the color being most intense below the paraphyses, becoming less so towards the stalk region. [9]

Pilophorus acicularis is a tripartite lichen—containing a fungus, a green alga, and a cyanobacterium. Cephalodia (lichenized aggregations of nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria) are present on the primary thallus; smaller cephalodia are also on the pseudopodetia. Hemispherical to irregularly shaped, and light to dark brown in color, they contain species from the genus Nostoc . [8] The green algal photosynthetic symbiont (photobiont) associated with P. acicularis is Asterochloris magna (formerly Trebouxia magna). [17] [18]

Similar species

Pilophorus acicularis 26853.jpg
Pilophorus clavatus 109002.jpg
Comparison of Pilophorus acicularis (left) and the lookalike species P. clavatus (right)

Pilophorus acicularis can be separated from similar species by its tall pseudopodetia. It may be confused with P. robustus , especially in material from Alaska where both species occur together. Usually, the different branching (umbellate in P. robustus versus dichotomous in P. acicularis) and the lack of a columella (an internal, column-shaped structure) in longitudinal sections of the pseudopodetia of P. acicularis make it relatively easy to distinguish between the two. [9]

Pilophyllus clavatus , a species found in Western North America, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea, resembles P. acicularis, but it has much shorter pseudopodetia—up to 1.5 cm (0.6 in) long. [19]

Habitat and distribution

The lichen typically grows on silicate stone, rarely on decaying wood. [9] It is usually in partial shade in openings in low to mid-elevation moist forests, and is also frequently found in rocky roadcuts. [16] Lichens with cephalodia are capable of fixing nitrogen, and contribute nitrogen to the ecosystem. [20]

P. acicularis is probably the most abundant species of the genus. Most specimens have been found on the west coast of North America as far north as Alaska, [21] but it has been reported most frequently from British Columbia and Washington. The species is found in China, [22] Japan, [23] and Taiwan, [24] and has also been reported from the Russian arctic. [25] In general, P. acicularis seems to prefer an oceanic climate without extremely low temperatures, at least in comparison with other species of the genus. This assumption is supported by the fact that P. acicularis is found more southerly (34 findings in California) than all other species and is less frequently found in northern Alaska where, for example, P. robustus and P. vegae are more common. P. acicularis is rare east of the Rocky Mountains. [9]

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A lichen is a composite organism that arises from algae or cyanobacteria living among filaments of multiple fungi species in a mutualistic relationship. Lichens are important actors in nutrient cycling and act as producers which many higher trophic feeders feed on, such as reindeer, gastropods, nematodes, mites, and springtails. Lichens have properties different from those of their component organisms. They come in many colors, sizes, and forms and are sometimes plant-like, but are not plants. They may have tiny, leafless branches (fruticose); flat leaf-like structures (foliose); grow crust-like, adhering tightly to a surface (substrate) like a thick coat of paint (crustose); have a powder-like appearance (leprose); or other growth forms.

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The Cladoniaceae are a family of lichenized fungi in the order Lecanorales. It is one of the largest families of lichen-forming fungi, with about 560 species distributed amongst 17 genera. The reindeer moss and cup lichens (Cladonia) belong to this family. The latter genus, which comprises about 500 species, forms a major part of the diet of large mammals in taiga and tundra ecosystems. Many Cladoniaceae lichens grow on soil, but other can use decaying wood, tree trunks, and, in a few instances, rocks as their substrate. They grow in places with high humidity, and cannot tolerate aridity.

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<i>Pilophorus</i> (fungus) Genus of lichens

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Nephroma is a genus of medium to large foliose lichens. The genus has a widespread distribution. They are sometimes called kidney lichens, named after the characteristic kidney-shaped apothecia that they produce on the lower surface of their lobe tips, which often curl upwards and thus are visible from above. Sterile specimens that do not have apothecia can look somewhat like Melanelia, Peltigera, Platismatia, or Asahinea. Most species grow either on mossy ground or rocks, or on trees.

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<i>Baeomyces rufus</i> Species of lichen

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Atrophysma is a fungal genus in the family Pannariaceae. It contains the single species Atrophysma cyanomelanos, a crustose lichen found only in Alaska.

Sagiolechia phaeospora is a species of crustose lichen in the family Sagiolechiaceae. It is found in the alpine tundra of Alaska.

<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.

Wahlenbergiella tavaresiae is a species of saxicolous (rock-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Verrucariaceae. Known from several locations in the San Francisco Bay area of the United States, it is a marine lichen that inhabits intertidal zones, and as such is immersed in seawater on a regular basis. Associated algal species include the red algae Hildenbrandia and Mastocarpus papillatus, and the brown algae Pelvetiopsis and Fucus. Petroderma maculiforme, a brown alga, is the photobiont partner in the lichen.

Podotara is a fungal genus in the family Pilocarpaceae. It is a monotypic genus, containing the single species Podotara pilophoriformis, an uncommon foliicolous (leaf-dwelling), crustose lichen that grows on Podocarpus totara, a species of podocarp tree endemic to New Zealand. Both the genus and the species were proposed in 1996.

References

  1. 1 2 "Baeomyces acicularis Ach. 1803". MycoBank. International Mycological Association. Retrieved 2011-01-01.
  2. ↑ "Standardized Common Names for Wild Species in Canada". National General Status Working Group. 2020.
  3. ↑ "Pilophorus acicularis, University of British Columbia Botanical Garden". Archived from the original on 2014-10-19. Retrieved 2014-10-15.
  4. ↑ Wedin M, Döring H (1999). "The phylogenetic relationship of the Sphaerophoraceae, Austropeltum and Neophyllis (lichenized Ascomycota) inferred by SSU rDNA sequences". Mycological Research. 103 (9): 1131–37. doi:10.1017/S0953756298008223.
  5. ↑ Acharius E. (1803). Methodu qua Omnes Detectos Lichenes (in Latin). Stockholm: impensis F.D.D. Ulrich, typis C.F. Marquard. p. 328.
  6. ↑ Fries TM. (1857). De Stereocaulis et Pilophorus Commentatio (in Latin). Uppsala, Sweden: Wahlström. p. 40.
  7. ↑ Nylander W. (1858) [1857]. "Énumération générale des Lichens, avec l'indication sommaire de leur distribution géographique". Mémoires de la Société des Sciences Naturelles de Cherbourg (in French). 5: 85–146.
  8. 1 2 Jahns HM. (1970). "Remarks on the taxonomy of the European and North American species of Pilophorus Th. Fr". The Lichenologist. 4 (3): 199–213. doi:10.1017/S0024282970000245. S2CID   85630885.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Jahns HM. (1981). "The genus Pilophorus". Mycotaxon. 13: 289–330.
  10. ↑ Tehler A. (1996). 1996. Systematics, phylogeny and classification. In T. H. Nash III [ed.], Lichen biology. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
  11. ↑ Nash T. (1996). Lichen Biology. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. ISBN   978-0-521-45974-7.
  12. ↑ Stenroos SK, DePriest PT (1998). "SSU rDNA phylogeny of cladoniiform lichens". American Journal of Botany. 85 (11): 1548–59. doi:10.2307/2446481. JSTOR   2446481. PMID   21680313.
  13. ↑ Chinnock RJ. (2007). Eremophila and Allied Genera: A Monograph of the Myoporaceae. Kenthurst NSW, Australia: Rosenberg Publishing. p. 483. ISBN   978-1-877058-16-5.
  14. ↑ Klinka K, Qian H (1998). Plants of British Columbia: Scientific and Common Names of Vascular Plants, Bryophytes and Lichens. Vancouver: UBC Press. p. 249. ISBN   978-0-7748-0652-7.
  15. ↑ "PLANTS Profile for Pilophorus acicularis (nail lichen) | USDA PLANTS". Plants Database. United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 2011-01-01.
  16. 1 2 Geiser L, McCune B (1997). Macrolichens of the Pacific Northwest. Corvallis, Oregon: Oregon State University Press. ISBN   978-0-87071-394-1.
  17. ↑ Ahmadjian V. (1993). The Lichen Symbiosis. New York, New York: John Wiley. p. 33. ISBN   978-0-471-57885-7.
  18. ↑ Friedl T, Zeltner C (1994). "Assessing the relationships of some coccoid green lichen algae and the microthamniales (Chlorophyta) with 18S ribosomal RNA gene sequence comparisons". Journal of Phycology. 30 (3): 500–06. doi:10.1111/j.0022-3646.1994.00500.x. S2CID   83976513.
  19. ↑ Park YS. (1990). "The macrolichen flora of South Korea". The Bryologist. 93 (2): 105–60. doi:10.2307/3243619. JSTOR   3243619.(subscription required)
  20. ↑ Brodo IM, Sharnoff SD, Sharnoff S (2001). Lichens of North America. New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press. p. 58. ISBN   978-0-300-08249-4.
  21. ↑ Schindler H. (1990). "Second contribution to the lichen flora of Alaska USA St. Paul Pribilof Islands Kenai Peninsula Katmai National Park and Denali National Park". Herzogia (in German). 8: 3535–46. doi:10.1127/herzogia/8/1990/335. ISSN   0018-0971. S2CID   249717859.
  22. ↑ "Checklist of lichens and lichenicolous fungi of China". University of Hamburg, Department of Biology. 1 September 2010. Retrieved 2011-01-01.
  23. ↑ Kurokawa S. (ed.). "Checklist of Japanese Lichens". National Science Museum, Tokyo. Archived from the original on 2006-05-13. Retrieved 2011-01-01.
  24. ↑ Aptroot A. (1 September 2010). "Checklists of Lichens - Taiwan". University of Hamburg, Department of Biology. Archived from the original on 29 March 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2010.
  25. ↑ Andreev M, Kotlov Y, Makarova I (1996). "Checklist of lichens and lichenicolous fungi of the Russian Arctic". The Bryologist. 99 (2): 137–69. doi:10.2307/3244545. JSTOR   3244545.(subscription required)

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