Thelocarpon cyaneum sp. nov.

Thelocarpon cyaneum, a new lichenicolous fungus on Polyblastia, is described from Antarctica.     

Phacopsis — A lichenicolous genus of the family Parmeliaceae

SSU nrDNA studies of two representatives of the lichenicolous genus Phacopsis revealed that they belong to the family Parmeliaceae (Lecanorales) and therefore represent lichenicolous lichens with an endokapylic thallus. Because they are the only lichenicolous taxa within this family, it is suggested that their transition from a foliose and/or fruticose precursor lichen might have been due to a unique (or rare) evolutionary one step event(s). Phylogenetic analyses of the ITS nrDNA of the type species of Phacopsis (P. vulpina) and Nesolechia (N. oxyspora = P. oxyspora) could neither confirm nor reject a monophyletic origin of these two Parmeliacean genera, as previously implied by their synonymization. However, it is considered premature to draw nomenclatorial consequences.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lasiosphaeriopsis pilophori</Emphasis> sp. nov. (Sordariales) and other lichenicolous fungi on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pilophorus</Emphasis>

Seven representatives of the Arthoniales, Dothideales, Lecanorales and Sordariales are known to occur on the lichen genus Pilophorus. Lasiosphaeriopsis pilophori sp. nov. is described from the north of the Holarctic. Cercidospora cephalodiorum is reported as new to North America. Cercidospora punctillata and Dactylospora deminuta are reported on Pilophorus for the first time. The host specificity, niche specialization and distribution of the taxa are discussed. A key to the lichenicolous fungi on Pilophorus is provided.     

Foliicolous lichens from Valdivian temperate rain forest of Chile and Argentina: evidence of an austral element, with the description of seven new taxa

Aim To describe the composition, diversity and biogeographical affinities of the foliicolous lichen mycobiota in Valdivian temperate rain forest in southern South America. Location Seven localities in Chile (IX to XI region) and Argentina (Neuquén province). Methods Opportunistic sampling of leaf substrates, identification of taxa, and assignment to distribution types. Results Thirty‐seven species, including three lichenicolous fungi, were found in the studied collections, increasing the number of foliicolous taxa known from Valdivian temperate rain forest to 55. New records for the area include Arthonia cyanea, Byssoloma marginatum, B. subdiscordans, Fellhanera bouteillei, F. dispersa, F. subfuscatula, Gyalectidium caucasicum, G. ciliatum, Logilvia gilva, Porina thaxteri, Strigula nitidula and the lichenicolous A. microsticta, Helicobolomyces lichenicola and Opegrapha sipmanii. Seven taxa are described as new: Enterographa falcata, Gyalectidium chilense, G. plicatum, Gyalideopsis choshuencensis, Porina fulvelloides, Strigula wandae and Trichothelium meridionale ssp. austroamericanum. Conclusions There are unexpected floristic affinities in the foliicolous lichen mycobiota of Valdivian temperate rain forest with those of New Zealand and Tasmania. Three typically foliicolous species clearly belong to an austral element: Caprettia setifera and Badimiella pteridophila, both known previously from New Zealand and Tasmania; and Kantvilasia hians, known already from Tasmania and Valdivian temperate rain forest. Other Southern Hemisphere lichens, such as Parmeliella nigrocincta, P. thysanota and Psoroma caliginosum, are also found commonly on leaves. On the other hand, specific affinities of the foliicolous lichen mycobiota of Valdivian temperate rain forest with the Neotropics are absent: most of the species shared between the two regions belong to a cosmopolitan‐tropical or a circumpacific element. Thus far, nine taxa are endemic to Valdivia. The Valdivian temperate rain forest foliicolous lichen mycobiota is therefore regarded as one of six distinctive regions in the world.     

Über die weite Verbreitung lichenisierter Sippen vonDictyochloropsis und die systematische Stellung vonMyrmecia reticulata (Chlorophyta)

Catinaria grossa is lichenized withDictyochloropsis splendida var.gelatinosa, var. nova. When cultured isolated from the fungus the cells of this variety are covered individually by thick gelatinous envelopes. The phycobionts ofMegalospora gompholoma subsp.gompholoma andM. atrorubicans subsp.australis belong to a new variety ofD. symbiontica, i.e. var.pauciautosporica, which preferentially reproduces by zoo- and aplanospores. The phycobiont ofPseudocyphellaria aurata does not belong toMyrmecia reticulata as formerly thought, but toDictyochloropsis symbiontica. Specimens from one locality in Tenerife and from New Zealand are lichenized with a strain ofD. symbiontica var.symbiontica, those from another locality in Tenerife with a strain ofD. symbiontica var.pauciautosporica. These strains differ in certain characters from other lichenized strains of these varieties.

     

OBSERVATIONS ON LICHENIZED AND FREE-LIVING PHYSOLINUM (CHLOROPHYTA,TRENTEPOHLIACEAE)1

Lichenized Physolinum Printz and free-living Physolinum from a dimly lit cave were studied from fresh collections and cultures, preserved specimens fixed in situ, and cultures that had persisted for 5 years in an environmental chamber. The branched filamentous association consists of a phycobiont and a characteristic ascomycetous mycobiont of one layer that completely ensheathes the algal partner. Epiphytic blue-green algae commonly occur attached to the mycobiont. The phycobiont, Physolinum monilia (De Wildem.) Printz, produces thick-walled, green spiny cells, some of which enlarge and contact the sheathing mycobiont cells; the phycobiont and mycobiont may then develop into new lichenized filaments. The hyaline mycobiont cells extend haustoria bound by the fungus wall deeply into the phycobiont chloroplasts. The epiphytes, Synechocystis-like colonies, are firmly attached to the outer walls of the mycobiont and are associated with several-celled extensions of the fungus beyond the apical phycobiont cells. Free-living Physolinum monilia filaments are branched and moniliform; the search-containing uninucleate cells are spherical to pyriform and have walls of cellulose. Each cell has a single massive chloroplast with plastoglobuli among tightly packed thylakoids. Except for their larger cells, P. monilia filaments appear to be identical to the phycobiont of lichenized Physolinum.     

Fungal Diversity in Rock Beneath a Crustose Lichen as Revealed by Molecular Markers

Lichen-forming fungi have been assumed to be more or less restricted to the surface of the substrate on which they grow, Conclusive identification of hyphae or an assessment of the fungal diversity inside lichen-covered rock has not been possible using methods based on direct observation. We circumvented this problem by using a DNA sequencing approach. Cores were drilled from a Devonian arcosic sandstone rock harboring the crustose lichen Ophioparma ventosa (L.) Norman on the surface. The cores were cut vertically, and DNA was extracted from the pulverized rock slices. A series of polymerase chain reactions using fungal-specific primers as well as Ophioparma ventosa specific primers were employed to amplify the internal transcribed spacer region of the nuclear ribosomal DNA. The results show that hyphae of O. ventosa penetrate approximately 10–12 mm into the rock. Consequently, the hyphal layer formed by the lichen fungus inside the rock could be 7–12 times as thick as the symbiotic thallus at the surface of the rock. In addition, eight non-lichenized fungal taxa and five that could not be identified to species were encountered. One fungal species in the order Helotiales occurs in six of the eight cores. The significance of these results to the colonization and weathering of rock by lichenized fungi is discussed.     

New lichenicolous, muscicolous, corticolous and lignicolous taxa of Burgoa s. l. and Marchandiomyces s. l. (anamorphic Basidiomycota), a new genus for Omphalinafoliacea, and a catalogue and a key to the non-lichenized, bulbilliferous basidiomycetes

A catalogue and a key to the non-lichenized, bulbilliferous basidiomycetes are given. The new genus Burgella is described for the lichenicolous B. flavoparmeliae, phylogenetically close to Sistotrema oblongisporum and Multiclavula. The genera Pneumatospora and Tricellulortus are placed in synonymy of Minimedusa, the new combination M. obcoronata is proposed, and the new facultative lichenicolous M. pubescens is described. The new facultative lichenicolous Burgoa angulosa is phylogenetically close to the generic type B. verzuoliana, whilst the new B. moriformis and B. splendens are provisionally included in the genus Burgoa. A Burgoa-like species in the Ceratobasidiaceae is left unnamed. Two new species of Marchandiomyces, M. buckii and M. nothofagicola, are described. As Marchandiomyces aurantiacus is phylogenetically more close to Erythricium than to Marchandiomyces, it is proposed to exclude it from that genus and to use the holomorphic generic name Marchandiobasidium for both anamorph and teleomorph of this species. The new genus Marchandiomphalina is introduced for the lichenized Omphalina foliacea, a taxon phylogenetically close to Marchandiobasidium. Taxonomic novelties Burgella Diederich & Lawrey; B. flavoparmeliae Diederich & Lawrey; Burgoa angulosa Diederich, Lawrey & Etayo; B. moriformis Diederich, Ertz & Coppins; B. splendens Diederich & Coppins; Marchandiomphalina Diederich, Lawrey & Binder; Marchandiomphalina foliacea (P. M. J?rg.) Diederich, Lawrey & Binder; Marchandiomyces buckii Diederich & Lawrey; M. nothofagicola Diederich & Lawrey; Minimedusa pubescens Diederich, Lawrey & Heylen; M. obcoronata (B. Sutton, Kuthub. & Muid) Diederich & Lawrey     

Cypsela micromorphology and anatomy in Cirsium sect. Epitrachys (Asteraceae,Carduoideae) and its taxonomic implications

Cirsium Miller, one of the largest genera of the Asteraceae (Carduoideae), contains more than 250 taxa. Turkey is one of its diversity centers and according to recent studies this genus is represented by 80 taxa. In the present study, cypsela morphologies, micromorphologies and anatomical structures of 17 C. sect. Epitrachys taxa distributed in Turkey are characterized in detail by using stereomicroscope, light microscope (LM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Cypselas are found to be obovate to narrowly oblong, or rarely oblanceolate. Based on SEM characters, six cypselas surface ornamentation types are identified, pericarp anatomical structures are described, as well as the structure of the testa. Crystal formations were observed in three taxa and secretory materials in the mesocarp were evaluated. Data obtained from this study are compared with previously published results and it is concluded that fruit micromorphological and anatomical characters are useful for the delimitation of taxa in Cirsium and may be useful for supraspecific classification.     

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.     

Lichenicolous fungi show population subdivision by host species but do not share population history with their hosts

Lichenicolous fungi are a species-rich biological group growing on lichen thalli. Here, we analyze the genetic structure of the lichenicolous basidiomycete Tremella lobariacearum and three host species (Lobaria pulmonaria, Lobaria macaronesica, and Lobaria immixta) in Macaronesia. We used ordination and analysis of molecular variance to investigate the structuring of genetic variation, and a simulation test to investigate whether rDNA haplotypes of T. lobariacearum were significantly associated with host species. To investigate the evolutionary and demographic history of the lichenicolous fungus and its hosts, we used coalescent samplers to generate trees, and Bayesian skyline plots. We found that the hosts were most important in structuring populations of the lichenicolous species. Despite their wide geographic distribution, the same haplotypes of T. lobariacearum consistently associated with a given host species. Our results suggest that the Lobaria hosts create a selective environment for the lichenicolous fungus. Both the pathogen and the host populations exhibited substantial genetic structure. However, evolutionary and demographic histories differed between the parasite and its hosts, as evidenced by different divergence times and tree topologies.     

Beyond Masses and Blooms: The Indicative Value of Oligochaetes

The European Water Framework Directive (WFD) defines a framework for assessing water bodies in Europe in the future. The conditions in the Directive impose a strong demand for “new” assessment systems. The AQEM project developed an assessment system for European streams using macroinvertebrates. Almost 900 samples were taken in about 400 streams covering 29 stream types distributed over eight countries. The role of the Oligochaeta within this European database was analysed. Almost half a million specimens of oligochaetes were collected in 772 samples. Eight families, 41 genera and 69 species were recorded, although identification emphasised the families Tubificidae and Naididae. Three countries identified oligochaetes to species level, most others restricted their identifications to easy identifiable taxa. Numbers of specimens, species, genera and families differed strongly between the countries due to method, although standardised, and taxonomic knowledge. About 50% of all collected oligochaete taxa had assigned biological and ecological indicator values for metric calculation in the AQEM assessment system. A further refinement of this indication list as well as increased coverage of oligochaete taxa was advised. Weighted averaging was used to evaluate the relation between oligochaete distribution and ecological quality class. It was concluded that when higher taxonomic levels are used in assessment, the quality evaluation results become biased. Furthermore, oligochaetes can tell us much more about the ecological status of streams than is commonly assumed. Differences in ecological optima among Limnodrilus udekemianus, Ilyodrilus templetoni, Aulodrilus pluriseta, Nais communis, and Spirosperma ferox are shown.     

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.     

Cystobasidiopsis nirenbergiae, a new agaricostilbomycete (Pucciniomycotina)

A new genus, Cystobasidiopsis, and a new species, Cystobasidiopsis nirenbergiae, are described for a fungus isolated from an arable loess soil in Ahlum near Braunschweig, Niedersachsen, Germany. An integrated analysis of morphological, ecological, ultrastructural and molecular data indicates that the new species belongs to the Chionosphaeraceae within the Agaricostilbales. Relevant characteristics of the new species are discussed and compared with those of related taxa.     

Ascomycota has a faster evolutionary rate and higher species diversity than Basidiomycota

Differences in rates of nucleotide or amino acid substitutions among major groups of organisms are repeatedly found and well documented. A growing body of evidence suggests a link between the rate of neutral molecular change within populations and the evolution of species diversity. More than 98% of terrestrial fungi belong to the phyla Ascomycota or Basidiomycota. The former is considerably richer in number of species than the latter. We obtained DNA sequences of 21 protein-coding genes from the lichenized fungus Rhizoplaca chrysoleuca and used them together with sequences from GenBank for subsequent analyses. Three datasets were used to test rate discrepancies between Ascomycota and Basidiomycota and that within Ascomycota: (i) 13 taxa including 105 protein-coding genes, (ii) nine taxa including 21 protein-coding genes, and (iii) nuclear LSU rDNA of 299 fungal species. Based on analyses of the 105 protein-coding genes and nuclear LSU rDNA datasets, we found that the evolutionary rate was higher in Ascomycota than in Basidiomycota. The differences in substitution rates between Ascomycota and Basidiomycota were significant. Within Ascomycota, the species-rich Sordariomycetes has the fastest evolutionary rate, while Leotiomycetes has the slowest. Our results indicate that the main contribution to the higher substitution rates in Ascomycota does not come from mutualism, ecological conditions, sterility, metabolic rate or shorter generation time, but is possibly caused by the founder effect. This is another example of the correlation between species number and evolutionary rates, which is consistent with the hypothesis that the founder effect is responsible for accelerated substitution rates in diverse clades.     

A NEW LICHENICOLOUS SPECIES OFPOLYDESMIA(LEOTIALES:HYALOSCYPHACEAE)

A new lichenicolous fungus species,Polydesmia lichenisHuhtinen & R. Sant., growing on species ofPeltigerais described from Sweden and Norway.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Endohyalina</Emphasis>, the genus in the Physciaceae to accommodate the species of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rinodina ericina-</Emphasis>group

The genus Endohyalina is characterized by crustose, autonomous, or obligately lichenicolous thalli, lecideine apothecia with a hymenium often more or less inspersed with oil droplets and a brown hypothecium, Bacidia-type asci, small Dirinaria-type ascospores developing with type B ontogeny, bacilliform conidia and containing diploicin as the major secondary metabolite. The genus is based on four species previously included in Rinodina—R. ericina s. lat., R. insularis, R. interjecta and R. kalbii—and on two lichenicolous species from the Canary Islands described here as new, Endohyalina brandii and E. diederichii. The generic type, Endohyalina rappii, is reduced to synonymy with E. ericina whereas E. circumpallida is excluded from the genus and returned to Buellia s. lat. Except for the thalline growth form and the common lichenicolous habit, the diagnostic characters of Endohyalina are akin to those of Diploicia. New chemical data on Endohyalina insularis and E. kalbii are reported, and a simple method for determining the secondary chemistry of lichenicolous fungi is provided.     

Catalogue of the Lichenized and Lichenicolous Fungi of Montenegro

The catalogue is based on a comprehensive evaluation of 169 published sources. The lichen mycota as currently known from Montenegro includes 681 species (with eight subspecies, nine varieties and one form) of lichenized fungi, 12 species of lichenicolous fungi, and nine non-lichenized fungi traditionally included in lichenological literature.     

Hordeumgeniculatum in the Pannonian Basin: Ecological requirements and grassland vegetation on salt-affected soils

Hordeum geniculatum is considered as an obligate halophyte, but exact data about ecological requirements of the species are lacking. Therefore, species response curves of H. geniculatum were obtained for soil reaction and nutrients using Borhidi's indicator values and LOESS smoother response model in the programme CANOCO. Our data showed that H. geniculatum can be regarded as an obligate halophyte preferring slightly to moderately saline soils with relatively high content of nutrients. The Hordeetum hystricis association, indicating grazed vegetation on salt-rich soils, is a plant community that occurs only in central and southeastern Europe. Because this plant community has only been documented in a relatively small area, details about its vegetation ecology are inaccurate. Therefore, the ecology and species composition of this community were studied in three countries within the Pannonian Basin (Hungary, Serbia and Slovakia). A detrended correspondence analysis of 95 relevés from the Pannonian Basin confirmed that the community is characterised by the cover of H. geniculatum above 25%, which may even reach 75%. The association was species-rich; we sampled 91 taxa in 95 relevés. The widespread presence of many accessory species was dependent on environmental conditions, particularly the nutrient and salt content and animal disturbance.