Opegrapha cladoniicola,a new lichenicolous fungus from Hawaii

A new species Opegrapha cladoniicola, lichenicolous on the podetia of Cladonia ochrochlora, is described from Hawaii. It is the first known Opegrapha species found growing on Cladonia.     

Chemical ecology of Hobsonia christiansenii,a lichenicolous hyphomycete

Hobsonia christiansenii B. L. Brady & D. Hawksw. is a helicosporous hyphomycete reported to parasitize a number of lichen species. Quantitative study of a lichen community in Montgomery County, Maryland, revealed that H. christiansenii colonized one lichen species, Flavoparmelia baltimorensis, almost exclusively. This pattern of attack was unexpected because F. baltimorensis produces an array of phenolic secondary metabolites known to inhibit generalist herbivores and microorganisms. The chemical ecology of the pathogen was investigated further in a series of experiments designed to determine if acetone-soluble compounds from various lichens (including F. baltimorensis) inhibited growth of H. christiansenii under controlled laboratory conditions. Results demonstrated that acetone extracts of lichens other than F. baltimorensis were frequently quite inhibitory to the growth of H. christiansenii in culture, but that those of F. baltimorensis had no significant effect on the growth of the pathogen. Indeed, acetone extracts of F. baltimorensis stimulated the growth of Hobsonia on artificial media. These observations suggest H. christiansenii is a relatively specialized lichen pathogen that has been able to overcome the chemical defenses of F. baltimorensis.     

Weddellomyces aspiciliicola,a new lichenicolous fungus found in Czechoslovakia

Weddellomyces aspiciliicola Alstrup, a lichenicolous ascomycete onAspicilia radiosa, is described from Czecho-Slovakia.     

Three new genera of lichenicolous fungi

Three new genera of fungi occurring on lichens are described and illustrated. Clypeococcum D. Hawksworth (Pleosporales) is introduced for the species previously treated as Phaeodothis cladonema (Wedd.) Theiss. & Syd, which occurs in thalli of Cetrelia olivetorum sensu lato and Parmelia vermculifera. Doratomyces phillipsii , a species hitherto not recognized as lichenicolous, occurs on Steinia geophana and Thrombium epigaeum , both of which have Leptosira as the algal partner; this fungus is sufficiently different from other Doratomyces species to justify the new genus Leightoniomyces D. Hawksworth & Sutton (Dematiaceae). Refractohilum D. Hawksworth (Moniliaceae) is introduced for three species: Sporidesmium achromaticum Sutton (on Parmelia aff. sulcata and wood), R. galligenum sp. nov. (forming galls on Nephroma laevigatum) , and Ovularia peltigerae Keissl. (forming galls on Peltigera species).     

Arthrorhaphis aeruginosa and A. olivaceae,two new lichenicolous fungi

Abstract: The lichenicolous fungi Arthrorhaphis aeruginosa R. Sant. & Tønsb. on Cladonia spp. and Arthrorhaphis olivaceae R. Sant. & Tønsb. on Melanelia olivacea are described as new from Norway, Scotland and western North America, and from Sweden, respectively.     

Population dynamics of lichenicolous mites at Dungeness

BARLOW, S. L. & FERRY, B. W., 1989. Population dynamics of lichenicolous mites at Dungeness . A quantitative and, to a degree qualitative, assessment of mite populations was made on seven lichen species of the late succession communities at Dungeness.
No specific mite numbers/lichen species association was found, but a cyclic, bi-modal response curve was obtained for general mite numbers on all seven lichen species samples (F = 25.01, P <0.001).
A range of climatic parameters were assessed in relation to the mite population on lichens. Only temperature was shown to be correlated (negatively) with mite numbers (F = 6.3, P <0.05), whilst rainfall and humidity were not significantly correlated (F = 3.99, P £0.05, and F = 0.52, P £0.4 respectively).     

The species of Hemigrapha (lichenicolous Ascomycetes, Dothideales) on Peltigerales

The species of Hemigrapha (lichenicolous Ascomycetes, Dothideales) growing on Peltigerales are revised. H. atlantica sp. nov., on the cyanobacterial morph of Sticta canariensis from the Azores and the British Isles, H. nephromatis sp. nov., on Nephroma australe from Tasmania and New Zealand, and H. pseudocyphellariae sp. nov., on Pseudocyphellaria from Papua New Guinea are described and compared with the type species, H. asteriscus , which grows on species of Peltigera in the southern hemisphere and in Europe. Hemigrapha is shown to belong to the Microthyriaceae (Dothideales). Pycnothyrial anamorphs, morphologically identical to the thyriothecia, with hyaline, non-septate microconidia andor macroconidia, and conidiogenous cells arising from the upper conidiomatal wall, are known in H. asteriscus, H. atlantica and H. pseudocyphellariae. A key is given for the species of Hemigrapha on Peltigerales.     

Notes on some lichens and lichenicolous fungi from Greenland

Acarospora isortoqensis Alstrup sp. n. is described. Cornicularia mirabilis Lynge is shown to be synonymous with Endpcarpon pulvinatum Th. Fr. The spores of Muel–lerella frustulosae Vouaux are elliptical rather than spherical. Six lichens and seven lichenicolous fungi are reported as new to Greenland, and new localities are given for two lichens and one lichen parasite rarely collected in Greenland.     

Distopyrenis japonica (ascomycota, Pyrenulaceae), a new lichen-allied lichenicolous fungus from Chiba-ken, central Japan

Distopyrenis japonica sp. nov. is described from Chiba-ken, central Japan. It is characterized by simple ascomata with a sublateral ostiole, and narrow ascospores (12–15×5–6 μm) with a euseptum developed in the median distoseptum. In the holotype, the fungus seems to grow parasitically on a crustose lichen,Graphis proserpens. This is the first record of a lichenicolous habit amongDistopyrenis.     

Genetic variation in the widespread lichenicolous fungus Marchandiomyces corallinus

The lichenicolous basidiomycete Marchandiomyces corallinus is widely distributed in North America and Europe, where it commonly is found on a variety of lichens. Theoretically either of these characteristics, a wide geographic range or generalized host ecology, could provide opportunities for genetic differentiation within this species. To determine how genetic variation is partitioned in M. corallinus, 12 fungal isolates were obtained from locations in North America and Europe; at two locations, in Washington County, Maine, and on the Isle of Mull in Scotland, fungi also were isolated from different lichen hosts. Vegetative mycelial compatibility tests were used to determine compatibility groupings from among the isolates; in addition, several PCR amplification products (RAPD, nuITS rDNA) were obtained for each isolate. A number of distinct compatibility groups were recognizable based on geography, not host ecology. In addition compatible isolates always were restricted to either North America or Europe. However RAPD markers indicated that compatible isolates are not always genetically identical. The presence of sequence heterozygosity at specific positions indicated that the isolates are heterokaryotic and a number of distinct haplotypes could be identified based on ITS variation at three separate locations. This type of genetic variation in these fungi suggests that sexual recombination is possible and that genetic differentiation has taken place recently as a result of geographic isolation, not host switching.     

Paralethariicola aspiciliae (Ostropales,Odontotremataceae), a new genus and species of lichenicolous fungi

Abstract:The generic name Paralethariicola gen. nov. is introduced for a lichenicolous fungus very similar to Lethariicola, but differing by the presence of excipular hairs, asci with a hemiamyloid apical ring and a more flattened apex, curved or slightly helicoid ascospores with±pointed ends, and thicker paraphyses. The single species, Paralethariicola aspiciliae sp. nov., is lichenicolous on Aspicilia, and is known from continental Spain and Sardinia.     

The lichenicolous species of Odontotrema (syn. Lethariicola) (Ascomycota,Ostropales)

Abstract:The genus Lethariicola is shown to be a synonym of Odontotrema. Fifteen lichenicolous species are recognized: O. bryoriae sp. nov. (on Bryoria), O. cuculare comb. nov. (on Parmeliopsishyperopta), O. figulinum comb. nov. (on Lecanorapolytropa), O. intermedium sp. nov. (on Thamnolia), O. lecanorae sp. nov. (on Lecanora), O. melaneliae sp. nov. (on Melanelia), O. ochrolechiae sp. nov. (on Ochrolechia), O. pertusariae sp. nov. (onPertusariahymenea ), O. rhizocarpicola sp. nov. (on Rhizocarpon), O. santessonii sp. nov. (on Thamnolia), O. sipei comb. nov. (on Letharia), O. thamnoliae sp. nov. (onThamnolia ), and three undescribed species on Lecanora, Mycoblastus and Usnea. The type ofO. cuculare has two distinct lichenicolous species of Odontotrema, and the name is lectotypified on the species growing on Parmeliopsis. A key is given to all lichenicolous species of Odontotrema andParalethariicola .     

Taxonomic notes on the genus Plectocarpon (lichenicolous Ascomycetina)

The genus Plectocarpon is included in the Opegraphaceae (Opegraphales). It is distinguished by rounded mono- or multilocular, often stromatic ascomata with a reduced non-carbonized exciple, asci of the Opegrapha- typs, (1–)3(-6)-septate colourless spores with a distinct perispore and anastomosed paraphysoids. The genus includes at least 10 species, all lichenicolous on macrolichens, belonging mainly to the Peltigerales. 5 species are here described as new: P. lambinonii sp. nov. on Lobaria isidiosa and L. retigera from Papua New Guinea, Russia and Rwanda, P. macaronesiae sp. nov. on Lobaria puimonaria and L. suhlaevis from the Azores, the Canary Islands and Madeira, P. sampaianae sp. nov. on Pannaria sampaiana from Great Britain and Spain, P. scrobiculatae sp. nov. on Lobaria scrobiculata from France, Great Britain, Norway and Spain and P. usneae sp. nov. on Usnea exasperata from Rwanda. An additional undescribed species on Sticta leami from Papua New Guinea is mentioned. Most species form distinct galls on their host lichens.     

Gelatinopsis roccellae (Leotiales,Ascomycota), a new lichenicolous fungus on Roccella from NW Spain

Abstract:The new lichenicolous fungus Gelatinopsis roccellae is described from NW Spain, where it grows on Roccella fuciformis and R. phycopsis. It differs from G. ericetorum, which grows onDibaeis , by the shorter ascospores, smaller ascomata, and the absence of an olivaceous excipular and epihymenial pigment.     

The obligately lichenicolous genus Lichenoconium represents a novel lineage in the Dothideomycetes

Lichenicolous fungi are obligately lichen-associated organisms that have evolved many times throughout the Ascomycota and Basidiomycota. Approximately 20% of lichenicolous ascomycetes are recognized only from asexual (anamorphic) characteristics, so the phylogenetic position of many groups has never been resolved. Here we present the first molecular phylogeny of Lichenoconium, a genus of strictly asexual, obligately lichenicolous species with broad geographic distributions and diverse host ecologies. We obtained nuclear and mitochondrial rDNA sequences from fungal cultures isolated from four species in the genus, including a new species, Lichenoconium aeruginosum sp. nov., collected in France, Luxembourg and Netherlands. Our multilocus phylogeny supports the monophyly of fungi in the genus Lichenoconium, and places the genus in the Dothideomycetes, an ascomycete class made up mainly of saprobes and plant-associated endophytes and pathogens. There are only a few recognized groups of lichen-formers in the Dothideomycetes, but Lichenoconium is not supported as being closely related to any of these, nor to any other recognized order within the Dothideomycetes. Given that Lichenoconium is but one of over 100 genera of anamorphic lichenicolous fungi, most of which have never been studied phylogenetically, we suggest that asexual lichenicolous fungi may represent novel and evolutionarily significant phylogenetic groups in the Kingdom Fungi.     

The lichenicolous Opegrapha species (Roccellaceae, Ascomycota) with 3-septate ascospores on Pertusaria and Ochrolechia

The Opegrapha species with 3-septate ascospores growing on Pertusaria and Ochrolechia are revised. Two species are recognized: Opegrapha anomea (of which O. pertusariae , O. quaternella , O. wetmorei and possibly Leciographa weissii are considered to be synonyms), and O. blakii Ertz & Diederich sp. nov. described from a sterile lichen with an Ochrolechia -like thallus, known from Ecuador and Venezuela. Opegrapha anomea and several related lichenicolous species with roundish or irregular, often multilocular ascomata are morphologically intermediate between Opegrapha and Plectocarpon , and might represent a distinct genus.  © 2004 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2004, 144, 235−241.