Lichenostigma

Lichenostigma
Lichenostigma cosmopolites
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Fungi
Division:	Ascomycota
Class:	Arthoniomycetes
Order:	Lichenostigmatales
Family:	Phaeococcomycetaceae
Genus:	Lichenostigma Hafellner (1983)
Type species
Lichenostigma maureri Hafellner (1983)
Synonyms[1]
Phaeosporobolus D.Hawksw. & Hafellner (1986)

Lichenostigma is a genus of fungi in the family Phaeococcomycetaceae.[2] It includes several species which are lichenicolous (i.e. parasitic on lichens).[3] The genus was circumscribed in 1983 by the Austrian mycologist Josef Hafellner, with Lichenostigma maureri assigned as the type species.[4]

Fossil history

The fossil history of Lichenostigma provides insights into its ancient origins and long-standing ecological relationships. Discoveries from European Paleogene amber have identified two fossil specimens of Lichenostigma associated with the crustose lichen genus Ochrolechia. These fossils date back approximately 34 million years, to the uppermost Eocene. The presence of Lichenostigma in these amber inclusions confirms that both the genus and its specialised parasitic association with Ochrolechia were already well-established during this period. The fossilised Lichenostigma specimens have conidiomata and ascomata (specialised structures to produce asexual and sexual spores, respectively) that are morphologically similar to those of modern species, demonstrating the evolutionary continuity of these lichenicolous fungi. This discovery not only pushes back the minimum age of the genus Lichenostigma but also provides calibration points for phylogenetic studies.[5]

The identification of Lichenostigma in amber fossils marks a significant advancement in paleomycology, particularly regarding the fossil record of lichenicolous fungi. Prior to these findings, evidence of ancient lichen-associated microfungi was limited to more general and likely saprotrophic associations. The Lichenostigma fossils, however, represent the first concrete evidence of mycoparasitic relationships in the fossil record, highlighting the ecological importance of these interactions.[5]

Species

As of July 2024^[update], Species Fungorum (in the Catalogue of Life) accepts 30 species of Lichenostigma.[6]

Lichenostigma elongatum

Lichenostigma saxicola growing on bare granitic rock and neighbouring thalli of Aspicilia confusa and Lecidea laboriosa.

• Lichenostigma alpinum (R.Sant., Alstrup & D.Hawksw.) Ertz & Diederich (2014)
• Lichenostigma amplum Calat. & Hafellner (2004)[7]
• Lichenostigma anatolicum Halıcı & Kocakaya (2009)[8]
• Lichenostigma bolacinae Nav.-Ros., Calat. & Hafellner (2004)[7]
• Lichenostigma canariense Etayo & van den Boom (2006)[9] – Canary Islands
• Lichenostigma chlaroterae (F.Berger & Brackel) Ertz & Diederich (2014)
• Lichenostigma cosmopolites Hafellner & Calat. (1999)[10]
• Lichenostigma cupreogriseae P.Pinault & Cl.Roux (2021)
• Lichenostigma dimelaenae Calat. & Hafellner (2004)[7]
• Lichenostigma diploiciae Calat., Nav.-Ros. & Hafellner (2002)[11]
• Lichenostigma elongatum Nav.-Ros. & Hafellner (1996)[12]
• Lichenostigma epipolinum Nav.-Ros., Calat. & Hafellner (2002)[11]
• Lichenostigma epiporpidiae S.Y.Kondr., Lőkös & Hur (2017)[13]
• Lichenostigma epirupestre Pérez-Ort. & Calat. (2009)[14] – Europe
• Lichenostigma episulphurellum Etayo & van den Boom (2006)[9] – Canary Islands
• Lichenostigma epiumbilicariae P.Pinault & Cl.Roux (2023)
• Lichenostigma fellhanerae (R.C.Harris & Lendemer) Ertz & Diederich (2014)
• Lichenostigma gracile Calat., Nav.-Ros. & Hafellner (2002)[11]
• Lichenostigma heterodermiae S.Y.Kondr., Lőkös & Hur (2013)[15]
• Lichenostigma iranicum Valadb. (2011)[16] – Iran
• Lichenostigma lecanorae Calat. & Nav.-Ros. (2004)[7]
• Lichenostigma maureri Hafellner (1983)[17]
• Lichenostigma radicans Calat. & Barreno (2003)[18]
• Lichenostigma rouxii Nav.-Ros., Calat. & Hafellner (2002)[11]
• Lichenostigma rupicolae Fern.-Brime & Nav.-Ros. (2010)[19]
• Lichenostigma saxicola K.Knudsen & Kocourk. (2010)[20] – California
• Lichenostigma spermatomanis P.Pinault & Cl.Roux (2021)
• Lichenostigma subradians Hafellner, Calat. & Nav.-Ros. (2002)[11]
• Lichenostigma supertegentis Ihlen & R.Sant. (2004)[21] – Scandinavia
• Lichenostigma svandae Vondrák & Šoun (2007)[22]
• Lichenostigma triseptatum Halıcı & D.Hawksw. (2007)
• Lichenostigma verrucosum Valadb. (2011)[16] – Iran

References

1. "Synonymy. Current Name: Lichenostigma Hafellner, Herzogia 6(1-2): 301 (1983)". Species Fungorum. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
2. Wijayawardene, Nalin; Hyde, Kevin; Al-Ani, LKT; Dolatabadi, S; Stadler, Marc; Haelewaters, Danny; et al. (2020). "Outline of Fungi and fungus-like taxa". Mycosphere. 11: 1060–1456. doi:10.5943/mycosphere/11/1/8. hdl:10481/61998.
3. A synopsis of Lichenostigma subgen. Lichenogramma (Arthoniales) with a key to the species, Vicent Calatayud1, Pere Navarro-Rosinés, Josef Hafellner, Mycological Research, Volume 106, Issue 10, October 2002, Pages 1230–1242, [1]
4. Hafellner, J. (1982). "Studien über lichenicole Pilze und Flechten II. Lichenostigma maureri gen. et sp. nov., ein in den Ostalpen häufiger lichenicoler Pilz (Ascomycetes, Arthoniales)". Herzogia (in German). 6 (1–2): 299–308. doi:10.1127/herzogia/6/1983/299.
5. Kaasalainen, Ulla; Kukwa, Martin; Rikkinen, Jouko; Schmidt, Alexander R. (2019). "Crustose lichens with lichenicolous fungi from Paleogene amber". Scientific Reports. 9 (1): 1–7. Bibcode:2019NatSR...910360K. doi:10.1038/s41598-019-46692-w. PMC 6637111. PMID 31316089.
6. "Lichenostigma". Catalogue of Life. Species 2000: Leiden, the Netherlands. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
7. Nash, T.H. III; Ryan, B.D.; Diederich, P.; Gries, C.; Bungartz, F. (2004). Lichen Flora of the Greater Sonoran Desert Region. Vol. 2. Tempe: Lichens Unlimited, Arizona State University. p. 665. ISBN 978-0-9716759-1-9.
8. Halici, M.G.; Kocakaya, M.; Aksoy, A. (2009). "Lichenostigma anatolica sp. nov. (Ascomycota, Lichenotheliaceae) on a brown Acarospora from central Turkey". Mycotaxon. 108: 67–72. doi:10.5248/108.67.
9. Boom, P.P.G. van den; Etayo, J. (2006). "New records of lichens and lichenicolous fungi from Fuerteventura (Canary Islands), with descriptions of some new species" (PDF). Cryptogamie Mycologie. 27 (4): 341–374.
10. Hafellner, J.; Calatayud, V. (1999). "Lichenostigma cosmopolites, a common lichenicolous fungus on Xanthoparmelia species". Mycotaxon. 72: 107–114.
11. Calatayud, Vicent; Navarro-Rosinés, Pere; Hafellner, Josef (2002). "A synopsis of Lichenostigma subgen. Lichenogramma (Arthoniales) with a key to the species". Mycological Research. 106 (10): 1230–1242. doi:10.1017/S095375620200655X.
12. Navarro-Rosinés, P.; Hafellner, J. (1996). "Lichenostigma elongata spec. nov. (Dothideales), a lichenicolous ascomycete on Lobothallia and Aspicilia species". Mycotaxon. 57: 211–225.
13. Kondratyuk, S.Y.; Lőkös, L.; Halda, J.P.; Roux, C.; Upreti, D.K.; Schumm, F.; Mishra, G.K.; Nayaka, S.; Farkas, E.; Park, J.S.; Lee, B.G.; Liu, D.; Woo, J.-J.; Hur, J.-S. (2017). "New and noteworthy lichen-forming and lichenicolous fungi 6" (PDF). Acta Botanica Hungarica. 59 (1–2): 137–260. doi:10.1556/034.59.2017.1-2.7.
14. Pérez-Ortega, S.; Calatayud, V. (2009). "Lichenostigma epirupestre, a new lichenicolous species on Pertusaria from Spain". Mycotaxon. 107: 189–195. doi:10.5248/107.189.
15. Kondratyuk, S.; Lőkös, L.; Tchabanenko, S.; Haji Moniri, M.; Farkas, E.; Wang, X.Y.; Oh, S.O.; Hur, J.S. (2013). "New and noteworthy lichen-forming and lichenicolous fungi". Acta Biologica Hungarica. 55 (3–4): 275–349.
16. Valadbeigi, T.; Brackel, W. von (2011). "Two new species of Lichenostigma (Lichenotheliaceae) from Iran". Willdenowia. 41: 191–195. doi:10.3372/wi.41.41122. JSTOR 41549116.
17. Pegler, D.N. (1983). Agaric flora of the Lesser Antilles. Kew Bulletin Additional Series. Vol. 9. p. 301.
18. Calatayud, V.; Barreno, E. (2003). "A new Lichenostigma on vagrant Aspicilia species". The Lichenologist. 35 (4): 279–285. Bibcode:2003ThLic..35..279C. doi:10.1016/S0024-2829(03)00052-5.
19. Fernández-Brime, Samantha; Llimona, Xavier; Navarro-Rosinés, Pere (2010). "Lichenostigma rupicolae (Lichenotheliaceae), a new lichenicolous species growing on Pertusaria rupicola". The Lichenologist. 42 (3): 241–247. doi:10.1017/S0024282909990727.
20. Knudsen, Kerry; Kocourková, Jana (2010). "A new Lichenostigma species (genus incertae sedis) from southern California". The Bryologist. 113 (2): 229–234. doi:10.1639/0007-2745-113.2.229.
21. Ihlen, Per G. (2004). "A new species of Lichenostigma (Lichenotheliaceae, Arthoniales) from Scandinavia". The Lichenologist. 36 (3–4): 183–189. doi:10.1017/S0024282904014185.
22. Vondrák, Jan; Šoun, Jaroslav (2007). "Lichenostigma svandae, a new lichenicolous fungus on Acarospora cervina". The Lichenologist. 39 (3): 211–216. doi:10.1017/S0024282907006731.