Siphulopsis

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Siphulopsis
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Ascomycota
Class: Lecanoromycetes
Order: Pertusariales
Family: Icmadophilaceae
Genus: Siphulopsis
Kantvilas & A.R.Nilsen (2020)
Species:
S. queenslandica
Binomial name
Siphulopsis queenslandica
(Kantvilas) Kantvilas & A.R.Nilsen (2020)
Synonyms [1]
  • Knightiella queenslandicaKantvilas (2018)

Siphulopsis is a single-species fungal genus in the family Icmadophilaceae. [2] [3] This monotypic genus the contains the fruticose lichen species Siphulopsis queenslandica, found in Australia. This lichen was originally described by Gintaras Kantvilas in 2018. [4] He tentatively classified it in the genus Knightiella due to morphological similarities with Knightiella eucalypti (since transferred to the genus Knightiellastrum ), but molecular phylogenetics revealed it to constitute a distinct lineage. [5]

The genus name Siphulopsis combines the name Siphula , referring to a similar genus, with the Greek suffix -opsis, which denotes resemblance. This naming reflects the similarity in thallus morphology between this species and those of Siphula. [5]

Description

The species Siphulopsis queenslandica initiates its growth as small, scale-like patches ( squamulose ) and soon develops into shrub-like, cushioned clumps ( fruticose ), typically presenting a whitish to pale ashen-grey colour. This species lacks rhizines (root-like structures for attachment). Upon examination of a cross-section of the thallus, a pseudocortex can be observed. This outer layer is about 20–30  μm thick and consists of poorly differentiated, short-celled hyphae, each approximately 5 μm wide. This layer also contains sporadically interspersed dead cells of its photosynthetic partner, a unicellular green alga. The algal cells are spherical and measure between 6 and 10 μm in diameter. [5]

Reproductive structures known as ascomata are not observed in this species. However, it possesses pycnidia, which are small, flask-shaped structures embedded within the thallus, producing bacilliform (rod-shaped) conidia, which are involved in asexual reproduction. [5]

The chemical composition of Siphulopsis queenslandica includes thamnolic acid, a secondary metabolite common in many lichen species. [5]

The generic description of Siphulopsis references its fruticose thallus that contains thamnolic acid, which is somewhat similar to Siphulaebut lacks rhizines and is not genetically related to this genus. [5]

References

  1. ↑ "Synonymy. Current Name: Siphulopsis queenslandica (Kantvilas) Kantvilas & A.R. Nilsen, in Ludwig, Kantvilas, Nilsen, Orlovich, Ohmura, Summerfield, Wilk & Lord, Lichenologist 52(3): 218 (2020)". Species Fungorum . Retrieved 30 April 2024.
  2. ↑ "Siphulopsis". Catalogue of Life . Species 2000: Leiden, the Netherlands. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
  3. ↑ Wijayawardene, N.N.; Hyde, K.D.; Dai, D.Q.; Sánchez-García, M.; Goto, B.T.; Saxena, R.K.; et al. (2022). "Outline of Fungi and fungus-like taxa – 2021". Mycosphere. 13 (1): 53–453 [163]. doi:10.5943/mycosphere/13/1/2. hdl: 10481/76378 .
  4. ↑ Kantvilas, Gintaras (2018). "A new species of Dibaeis from Australia (Tasmania), with notes on the family Icmadophilaceae". Herzogia. 31 (p1): 562–570. doi:10.13158/heia.31.1.2018.562.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Ludwig, Lars R.; Kantvilas, Gintaras; Nilsen, Andy R.; Orlovich, David A.; Ohmura, Yoshihito; Summerfield, Tina C.; Wilk, Karina; Lord, Janice M. (2020). "A molecular-genetic reassessment of the circumscription of the lichen genus Icmadophila". The Lichenologist. 52 (3): 213–220. doi:10.1017/S0024282920000122.
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