Opegrapha vulpina

Opegrapha vulpina
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Ascomycota
Class: Arthoniomycetes
Order: Arthoniales
Family: Opegraphaceae
Genus: Opegrapha
Species:
O. vulpina
Binomial name
Opegrapha vulpina
Vondrák, Kocourk. & Tretiach (2008)

Opegrapha vulpina is a species of lichenicolous (lichen-eating) fungus in the family Opegraphaceae.[1] It is found in the Czech Republic, Dobruja, Romania, and the Italian Apennine Mountains. It grows parasitically on two species of saxicolous (rock-dwelling), crustose lichens.

Taxonomy

The fungus was formally described as new in 2008 by Jan Vondrák, Jana Kocourková, and Mauro Tretiach.[2] The type specimen was collected from the ruins of the castle Děvičky [cz] in the Pavlovské vrchy [cz] region of Pavlov (South Moravia) at an altitude of 422 m (1,385 ft); there, the lichen was found growing parasitically on the thallus of the crustose lichen Caloplaca erodens, which itself was growing on west-exposed limestone. The species epithet honours the Czech lichenologist Jiří Liška, friend of the authors, whose English surname means "fox" in English (= vulpes in Latin).[2]

Description

The ascomata are apothecial in form, and usually occur as irregular dark patches on the thallus of the host lichen. They are rounded, measuring about 0.2 mm in diameter, and have a distinct carbonized (blackened) exciple (rim). The asci contains eight ascospores and are fissitunicate, meaning that they have two functional ascal wall layers and discharge of the spores involves the separation of these layers. The ascospores are shaped like narrow ellipsoids and have a transparent coat (perispore) around it, their dimensions are about 14.5 by 6 μm. They are initially hyaline, but become brownish and develop fine granular ornamentation with age. The conidiomata are black pycnidia partially immersed in the host thallus, measuring roughly 80–130 μm; the conidia they produce are narrowly ellipsoid to bacilliform in shape and measure 4.5 by 1.2 μm.[2]

Habitat and distribution

Originally identified from specimens collected in the Czech Republic, the fungus has since been reported from Dobruja, east Romania, and the Apennine Mountains of Italy. Known hosts are Caloplaca erodens and the related species C. albopruinosa, both of which are saxicolous lichens that inhabit limestone outcrops that are exposed to the sun.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Opegrapha vulpina Vondrák, Kocourk. & Tretiach". Catalogue of Life. Species 2000: Leiden, the Netherlands. Retrieved 24 January 2026.
  2. ^ a b c Vondrák, Jan; Kocourková, Jana (2008). "New lichenicolous Opegrapha species on Caloplaca from Europe". The Lichenologist. 40 (3): 171–184. doi:10.1017/s0024282908007536.

Content Disclaimer

Informasi ini disarikan dari Wikipedia dan disajikan kembali untuk tujuan edukasi. Konten tersedia di bawah lisensi CC BY-SA 3.0. Kami tidak bertanggung jawab atas ketidakakuratan data yang bersumber dari kontribusi publik tersebut.

  1. The information displayed on this website is sourced in part or in whole from Wikipedia and has been adapted for the purpose of restating it. We strive to provide accurate and relevant information, however:
  2. There is no guarantee of absolute accuracy. Wikipedia is an open, collaborative project that can be edited by anyone, so information is subject to change.
  3. It is not intended to constitute professional advice. The content displayed is for informational and educational purposes only. For important decisions (e.g., medical, legal, or financial), please consult a professional.
  4. Content copyright. Wikipedia is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License (CC BY-SA). This means that content may be reused with appropriate attribution and shared under a similar license.
  5. Responsible use. Any risk arising from the use of information from this website is entirely the responsibility of the user.