Lichenostigma

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

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]

Description

Lichenostigma is a lichen-dwelling (lichenicolous) fungus that forms no independent thallus and shows little, if any, surface mycelium of its own. Its reproductive structures (ascostromata) appear scattered across the host lichen as dark brown to blackish swellings. When young these bodies are roughly spherical, but they often become elongate with age and may develop a shallow central depression; very old specimens can even mimic the lirellae of script lichens. The stromatic wall is made of thick-walled, budding cells: the outer layers are dark brown and frequently display a warted or mosaic-like texture, whereas the internal cells remain pale. At maturity the stromata break down irregularly, releasing their ascospores.[5]

Unlike many ascomycetes, Lichenostigma lacks a well-defined hymenial cavity and any hamathecium. The asci—usually four to eight per stroma—develop directly among the stromatic cells without discrete locules. They are nearly shperical to broadly ellipsoidal, sit almost sessile on the stroma, and have a very thickened apex with a distinct ocular chamber; although structurally fissitunicate, they often deliquesce as they ripen. The ascospores are initially colourless, sometimes showing a faint blue staining reaction to potassium iodide in the outer wall, but they may darken to brown when over-mature. Each spore is one-septate, ellipsoidal to elongate, and ends in either rounded or slightly pointed tips.[5]

Asexual reproduction is common and takes place in pycnidial structures that are macroscopically indistinguishable from the ascostromata. These conidiomata produce no conidiophores; instead, pale- to medium-brown conidiogenous cells arise directly from the stromatic tissue. Each cell repeatedly buds off multicellular, brown conidia that resemble miniature cell clusters—ellipsoidal overall and initially smooth, though they can become warted or spiny in very old material.[5]

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.[6]

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.[6]

Species

As of July 2024, Species Fungorum (in the Catalogue of Life) accepts 30 species of Lichenostigma.[7]

  • Lichenostigma alpinum (R.Sant., Alstrup & D.Hawksw.) Ertz & Diederich (2014)
  • Lichenostigma amplum Calat. & Hafellner (2004)[8]
  • Lichenostigma anatolicum Halıcı & Kocakaya (2009)[9]
  • Lichenostigma bolacinae Nav.-Ros., Calat. & Hafellner (2004)[8]
  • Lichenostigma canariense Etayo & van den Boom (2006)[10] – Canary Islands
  • Lichenostigma chlaroterae (F.Berger & Brackel) Ertz & Diederich (2014)
  • Lichenostigma cosmopolites Hafellner & Calat. (1999)[11]
  • Lichenostigma cupreogriseae P.Pinault & Cl.Roux (2021)
  • Lichenostigma dimelaenae Calat. & Hafellner (2004)[8]
  • Lichenostigma diploiciae Calat., Nav.-Ros. & Hafellner (2002)[12]
  • Lichenostigma elongatum Nav.-Ros. & Hafellner (1996)[13]
  • Lichenostigma epipolinum Nav.-Ros., Calat. & Hafellner (2002)[12]
  • Lichenostigma epiporpidiae S.Y.Kondr., Lőkös & Hur (2017)[14]
  • Lichenostigma epirupestre Pérez-Ort. & Calat. (2009)[15] – Europe
  • Lichenostigma episulphurellum Etayo & van den Boom (2006)[10] – 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)[12]
  • Lichenostigma heterodermiae S.Y.Kondr., Lőkös & Hur (2013)[16]
  • Lichenostigma iranicum Valadb. (2011)[17] – Iran
  • Lichenostigma lecanorae Calat. & Nav.-Ros. (2004)[8]
  • Lichenostigma maureri Hafellner (1983)[18]
  • Lichenostigma radicans Calat. & Barreno (2003)[19]
  • Lichenostigma rouxii Nav.-Ros., Calat. & Hafellner (2002)[12]
  • Lichenostigma rupicolae Fern.-Brime & Nav.-Ros. (2010)[20]
  • Lichenostigma saxicola K.Knudsen & Kocourk. (2010)[21] – California
  • Lichenostigma spermatomanis P.Pinault & Cl.Roux (2021)
  • Lichenostigma subradians Hafellner, Calat. & Nav.-Ros. (2002)[12]
  • Lichenostigma supertegentis Ihlen & R.Sant. (2004)[22] – Scandinavia
  • Lichenostigma svandae Vondrák & Šoun (2007)[23]
  • Lichenostigma triseptatum Halıcı & D.Hawksw. (2007)
  • Lichenostigma verrucosum Valadb. (2011)[17] – 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. ^ a b c Cannon, P.; Coppins, B.; Aptroot, A.; Sanderson, N.; Simkin, J. (2025). Miscellaneous lichens and lichenicolous fungi, including Aphanopsis and Steinia (Aphanopsidaceae), Arthrorhaphis (Arthrorhaphidaceae), Buelliella, Hemigrapha, Melaspileella, Stictographa and Taeniolella (Asterinales, family unassigned), Phylloblastia (Chaetothyriales, family unassigned) Cystocoleus (Cystocoleaceae), Sclerococcum (Dactylosporaceae), Eiglera (Eigleraceae), Epigloea (Epigloeaceae), Euopsis (Harpidiaceae), Lichenothelia (Lichenotheliaceae), Lichinodium (Lichinodiaceae), Melaspilea (Melaspileaceae), Epithamnolia and Mniaecia (Mniaeciaceae), Lichenostigma (Phaeococcomycetaceae), Pycnora (Pycnoraceae), Racodium (Racodiaceae), Chicitaea and Loxospora (Sarrameanaceae), Schaereria (Schaereriaceae), Strangospora (Strangosporaceae), Botryolepraria and Stigmidium (Verrucariales, family unassigned), and Biatoridium, Mycoglaena, Orphniospora, Piccolia, Psammina and Wadeana (order and family unassigned). Revisions of British and Irish Lichens. Vol. 57. pp. 20–21.
  6. ^ a b 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.
  7. ^ "Lichenostigma". Catalogue of Life. Species 2000: Leiden, the Netherlands. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
  8. ^ a b c d 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.
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ a b 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.
  11. ^ Hafellner, J.; Calatayud, V. (1999). "Lichenostigma cosmopolites, a common lichenicolous fungus on Xanthoparmelia species". Mycotaxon. 72: 107–114.
  12. ^ a b c d e 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.
  13. ^ Navarro-Rosinés, P.; Hafellner, J. (1996). "Lichenostigma elongata spec. nov. (Dothideales), a lichenicolous ascomycete on Lobothallia and Aspicilia species". Mycotaxon. 57: 211–225.
  14. ^ 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.
  15. ^ 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.
  16. ^ 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.
  17. ^ a b 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.
  18. ^ Pegler, D.N. (1983). Agaric flora of the Lesser Antilles. Kew Bulletin Additional Series. Vol. 9. p. 301.
  19. ^ 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.
  20. ^ 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.
  21. ^ 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.
  22. ^ Ihlen, Per G. (2004). "A new species of Lichenostigma (Lichenotheliaceae, Arthoniales) from Scandinavia". The Lichenologist. 36 (3–4): 183–189. doi:10.1017/S0024282904014185.
  23. ^ Vondrák, Jan; Šoun, Jaroslav (2007). "Lichenostigma svandae, a new lichenicolous fungus on Acarospora cervina". The Lichenologist. 39 (3): 211–216. doi:10.1017/S0024282907006731.
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