Zeroviella esfahanensis

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Zeroviella esfahanensis
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Ascomycota
Class: Lecanoromycetes
Order: Teloschistales
Family: Teloschistaceae
Genus: Zeroviella
Species:
Z. esfahanensis
Binomial name
Zeroviella esfahanensis
S.Y.Kondr., Zarei-Darki & Hur (2015)

Zeroviella esfahanensis is a species of saxicolous (rock-dwelling) foliose lichen in the family Teloschistaceae. [1] It is found in various locations across the Palearctic realm, having been recorded in Europe, Asia, and North Africa, where it grows in alpine and cold desert areas. [2]

Contents

Taxonomy

Zeroviella esfahanensis was described by Sergey Kondratyuk, Behrouz Zarei-Darki, and Jae-Seoun Hur. Its species epithet is derived from the Esfahan Province in Iran, where the type specimen was collected. Its location specifics are Esfahan Province, roughly 250 km (160 mi) south of Tehran, near the outskirts of the Natanz settlement within the Karkas hunting-prohibited Region, at an altitude of 2,530 m (8,300 ft). [2]

Molecular studies have shown that the taxonomic position of Zeroviella esfahanensis remains somewhat uncertain. While certain genetic markers suggest it belongs to the Zeroviella group, others place it within Rusavskia . [2]

Description

This lichen has a foliose thallus, often resembling a rosette and spanning 2–3 cm (3⁄4–1+1⁄4 in) across. Its lobes range from 3–5 millimetres (1⁄8–3⁄16 in) in length and 0.7–1.5 mm (1⁄32–1⁄16 in) in width, broadening towards the tips. They appear semi-tubular due to the edges distinctly curving downwards. The upper surface is uneven, with older lobes especially presenting numerous pseudocyphellae (small pores that facilitate gas exchange). The colouration is generally a dull brownish-orange, occasionally appearing with pruina . [2]

Apothecia, the reproductive structures, are mostly found in the central portion of the thallus. These are lecanorine in type and have a diameter of up to 1.5 mm. The ascospores are mainly ellipsoid in shape, with dimensions varying between 9.5–14  μm in length and 6.5–9.5 μm in width. [2]

When subjected to a potassium hydroxide (K) chemical spot test, the thallus reacts by turning purple. Chemical constituents identified include parietin, teloschistin, fallacinal, parietinic acid, and traces of emodin. [2]

Similar species

Zeroviella esfahanensis shows similarities to several other lichen species but can be differentiated based on a few distinguishing features. When compared with Z. mandschurica , Zeroviella esfahanensis has shorter lobes that also have a larger width range. This species has an epruinose apothecial disc, which contrasts with the white pruina found in Z. mandschurica. Additionally, Zeroviella esfahanensis has a paraplectenchymatous true exciple that is well developed, while Z. mandschurica has a scleroplectenchymatous structure, which is much wider at its base. The ascospore septum of Zeroviella esfahanensis is also narrower than that of Z. mandschurica. [2]

In comparison to Rusavskia elegans , Zeroviella esfahanensis again has shorter and wider thalline lobes. Its cortical layers are entirely paraplectenchymatous, unlike R. elegans where they are predominantly scleroplectenchymatous. This species also differs in its thinner true exciple, which is significantly less developed than in R. elegans. Furthermore, the ascospores of Zeroviella esfahanensis are somewhat shorter and the ascospore septum is narrower. [2]

Finally, relative to Caloplaca vorukhica , Zeroviella esfahanensis is marked by a smaller thallus and thalline lobes. It is distinctive due to the presence of numerous pseudocyphellae and a less developed true exciple. The ascospores of Zeroviella esfahanensis are smaller and the septum is also narrower. This species does not have the hollow medulla found in C. vorukhica, and it also lacks scleroplectenchymatous tissue in both the upper and lower cortical layers, as well as papillae in the centre of the thallus. [2]

Habitat and distribution

Zeroviella esfahanensis predominantly inhabits alpine and cold desert areas. It favours large siliceous boulders, colonising both their sun-exposed subvertical and horizontal faces. The lichen has been identified in various locations across the Palearctic realm, encompassing regions in Europe, Asia, and North Africa. [2] It was recorded as new to China in 2016, [3] and to India in 2017. [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Teloschistaceae</span> Family of lichen-forming fungi

The Teloschistaceae are a large family of mostly lichen-forming fungi belonging to the class Lecanoromycetes in the division Ascomycota. Many members of the Teloschistaceae are readily identifiable by their vibrant orange to yellow hue, a result of their frequent anthraquinone content. The presence of these anthraquinone pigments, which confer protection from ultraviolet light, enabled this group to expand from shaded forest habitats to harsher environmental conditions of sunny and arid ecosystems during the Late Cretaceous. Collectively, the family has a cosmopolitan distribution, although members occur predominantly in subtropical and temperate regions. Although most members are lichens that either live on rock or on bark, about 40 species are lichenicolous fungi–meaning they live on other lichens.

Neobrownliella brownlieae is a species of saxicolous (rock-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Teloschistaceae. It is widely distributed in Australia.

<i>Gyalolechia</i> Genus of lichen-forming fungi

Gyalolechia is a genus of lichen-forming fungi belonging to the family Teloschistaceae. It contains 18 species of crustose lichens.

<i>Flavoplaca</i> Genus of lichen

Flavoplaca is a genus of crust-like or scaly lichens in the family Teloschistaceae. It has 28 species with a mostly Northern Hemisphere distribution.

<i>Igneoplaca</i> Lichen genus

Igneoplaca is a genus in the subfamily Xanthorioideae of the family Teloschistaceae. It contains a single species, the crustose lichen Igneoplaca ignea.

Sirenophila is a genus of crustose lichens in the subfamily Teloschistoideae of the family Teloschistaceae. It has four species with an Australasian distribution.

Gallowayella aphrodites is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), foliose (leafy) lichen in the family Teloschistaceae. It is found in the Mediterranean countries Greece, Cyprus, and Italy. Characteristics of the lichen include its small thallus, the disposition of the rhizines on the thallus undersurface, and the lack of vegetative propagules.

Neobrownliella is a genus of crustose lichens in the subfamily Teloschistoideae of the family Teloschistaceae. It has five species. The genus was circumscribed in 2015 by lichenologists Sergey Kondratyuk, Jack Elix, Ingvar Kärnefelt, and Arne Thell, with Neobrownliella brownlieae assigned as the type species. It is a segregate of the large genus Caloplaca. Characteristics of Neobrownliella include a thallus that is continuous or areolate, the presence of anthraquinones as lichen products, a cortical layer with a palisade paraplectenchyma, and the lack of a thick palisade cortical layer on the underside of the thalline exciple. Two species were included in the original circumscription of the genus; an additional three species were added in 2020.

<i>Golubkovia</i> Species of lichen

Golubkovia is a single-species genus in the family Teloschistaceae. It contains the species Golubkovia trachyphylla, a crustose lichen. The genus was circumscribed in 2014 by Sergey Kondratyuk, Ingvar Kärnefelt, John Elix, Arne Thell, and Jae-Seoun Hur. The generic name honours Russian lichenologist Nina Golubkova (1932–2009), who, according to the authors, "made important contributions to lichenology in northern Eurasia".

<i>Gallowayella hasseana</i> Species of lichen

Gallowayella hasseana, the poplar sunburst lichen, is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Teloschistaceae. It occurs in North America.

Teuvoahtiana is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Teloschistaceae. It contains three species of saxicolous (rock-dwelling), crustose lichens, all of which occur in South America.

Elixjohnia is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Teloschistaceae. It has four species of saxicolous (rock-dwelling), crustose lichens that occur in Australasia.

<i>Rusavskia</i> Genus of lichens

Rusavskia is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Teloschistaceae. It has 12 species. It is a member of the subfamily Xanthorioideae. The thallus of Rusavskia is characterized by its foliose (leaf-like) structure with distinct and typically narrow lobes that curve outwards.

Rusavskia indica is a species of both corticolous (bark-dwelling) and saxicolous (rock-dwelling) lichen in the family Teloschistaceae. Found in India, it was formally described as a new species in 2017 by lichenologists Sergey Kondratyuk and Dalip Kumar Upreti. The type specimens were collected in Jammu-Kashmir.

<i>Zeroviella</i> Genus of lichens

Zeroviella is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the subfamily Xanthorioideae of the family Teloschistaceae. It has eight saxicolous (rock-dwelling) species. Zeroviella was segregated from Rusavskia, a closely related genus, in 2015.

<i>Opeltia</i> Genus of lichens

Opeltia is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Teloschistaceae. It has four species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichens.

<i>Erichansenia</i> Genus of lichens

Erichansenia is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Teloschistaceae. It has three species of saxicolous (rock-dwelling), crustose lichens.

Rusavskia indochinensis is a species of saxicolous (rock-dwelling) lichen in the family Teloschistaceae. It occurs in India and China.

Fauriea is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Teloschistaceae. The genus, which contains seven species, is a member of the subfamily Caloplacoideae.

Eilifdahlia is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Teloschistaceae. It contains three species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichens that occur in the Southern Hemisphere.

References

  1. ↑ "Zeroviella esfahanensis S.Y. Kondr., Zarei-Darki & Hur". Catalogue of Life . Species 2000: Leiden, the Netherlands. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Kondratyuk, S.Y.; Kim, J.A.; Yu, N.-H.; Jeong, M.-H.; Jang, S.H.; Kondratiuk, A.S.; Zarei-Darki, B.; Hur, J.-S. (2015). "Zeroviella, a new genus of xanthorioid lichens (Teloschistaceae, Ascomycetes) proved by three gene phylogeny" (PDF). Ukrainian Botanical Journal. 72 (6): 574–584. doi:10.15407/ukrbotj72.06.574.
  3. ↑ Kondratyuk, S.Y.; Lőkös, L.; Halda, J.P.; Upreti, D.K.; Mishra, G.K.; Haji Moniri, M.; Farkas, E.; Park, J.S.; Lee, B.G.; Liu, D.; Woo, J.-J.; Jayalal, R.G.U.; Oh, S.-O.; Hur, J.-S. (2016). "New and noteworthy lichen-forming and lichenicolous fungi 5" (PDF). Acta Botanica Hungarica. 58 (3–4): 319–396. doi:10.1556/abot.58.2016.3-4.7.
  4. ↑ Kondratyuk, Sergii Y.; Mishra, Gaurav K.; Nayaka, Sanjeeva; Upreti, Dalip K. (2017). "New records or otherwise interesting species of Teloschistaceae (lichenized fungi) from India". Cryptogam Biodiversity and Assessment. 2 (1): 8–13. doi:10.21756/cab.v2i01.8611.
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