Fungal literature records database of the sub-Antarctic Region of Aysén, Chile

To this day, merely 8% of all estimated fungi species are documented and, in certain regions, its biodiversity is practically unknown. Inside the Fungi Kingdom, macrofungi and lichens assume a critical part in the ecosystem functionality and have a historical connection to mankind's social, clinical and nutritious uses. Despite their importance, the diversity of these groups has been widely overlooked in the sub-Antarctic Region of Chile, a crucial area in the study of climate change due to its extraordinary biodiversity and its proximity to Antarctica. Few studies regarding both groups have been conducted in this sub-Antarctic Region and the data are still scarce and inaccessible, as these are only published in specialised journals, unreachable to local communities. This publication presents a records compilation available in previous published scientific and technical reports on macrofungi and lichen diversity. In total, 1263 occurrence records of 618 species (341 records of 251 macrofungi species and 922 records of 367 lichen species) were digitised and integrated into the regional platform Biodiversity Information System for Aysén (SIB-Aysén) and into GBIF. Here, we provide the fullest dataset on one of the most diverse group of living beings in one of the the least-known world regions.

Diversity and distribution of macro lichens from Kalpetta Municipality of Wayanad District, Kerala, India

Macro lichens of Kalpetta Municipality of Wayanad District of Kerala state were studied. The study revealed about 21 macro lichen species. All the species identified are either foliose or fruticose forms belonging to families Coccocarpiaceae, Caliciaceae, Physciaceae, Parmeliaceae, Collemataceae, Lobariaceae, and Ramalinaceae indicating the dominance of these groups in the study area.

Nephroma orvoi (Nephromatoideae, Peltigeraceae) – a new lichen species for Russia

The lichen species Nephroma orvoi is reported as new to Russia from two localities in Murmansk Region. Description and colour illustrations of the material studied are provided. The species was previously known from Norway, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland, Canada (Alberta and British Columbia), USA (Washington), and Greenland. In Russia, it grows on rock outcrops in open habitat along the shore of a Paz River (Pasvik Nature Reserve) and in the bed of a small unnamed stream (neighborhood of Fedorova Tundra Mt.). The specimens were identified by the morphology (mostly laminal, brown, corticate soredia; faveolate, wrinkle-ridged lobes; lower side with short pseudotomentum in middle and inner part) and the identification was confirmed by lichen substances (a series of specific triterpenoids).

Contemporary State of Preservation of the Lichen Biota in the Eastern Part of the “Paprocie Serpentynitowe w Masywie Ślęży” Ecological Area

The purpose of this study was to assess the contemporary conditions of the lichen biota in the eastern part of the “Paprocie Serpentynitowe w Masywie Ślęży” ecological area in the Sudetes Foothills. The studies were carried out at three localities selected from 10 sites that were designed to protect the Asplenium fern genus. A total of 47 lichen species were found in the three localities. For each of the recorded species, the state of preservation in the Ślęża Massif area was assessed according to three factors: frequency at all three localities, general viability of the thalli, and stability in occurrence on the habitat. Stability was defined based on contemporary and historical data. From the analysis, most of the species (17) were classified as taxa with “moderate preservation status” in the study area. However, the preservation status of the 18 newly recorded taxa was defined as “insufficient data” due to the lack of previous records. Other species received a “very good preservation status” (three taxa) and “good preservation status” (nine taxa). The analyses allowed us to document the current number of taxa, determine their health condition, and indicate trends in the transformation within the lichen biota of the serpentinite rocks in the study area. Moreover, some actions were proposed to actively protect the valuable lichens in the ecological area of “Paprocie Serpentynitowe w Masywie Ślęży.”

Two new lecanoroid lichen species from the forested wetlands of South Korea, with a key for Korean Protoparmeliopsis species

Lecanora parasymmicta Lee & Hur and Protoparmeliopsis crystalliniformis Lee & Hur are described as new lichen species to science from the forested wetlands in southern South Korea. Molecular analyses employing internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and mitochondrial small subunit (mtSSU) sequences strongly support the two lecanoroid species to be distinct in their genera. Lecanora parasymmicta is included in the Lecanora symmicta group. It is morphologically distinguished from Lecanora symmicta (Ach.) Ach., its most similar species, by areolate-rimose thallus, blackish hypothallus, larger apothecia, absence of thalline excipulum from the beginning, narrower paraphyses, larger ascospores, smaller pycnoconidia, and the presence of placodiolic acid. The second new species Protoparmeliopsis crystalliniformis is included in a clade with Protoparmeliopsis bipruinosa (Fink) S.Y. Kondr. and P. nashii (B.D. Ryan) S.Y. Kondr., differs from Protoparmeliopsis ertzii Bungartz & Elix, its most morphologically similar species, by whitish thallus, flat to concave and paler disc, longer ascospores, thallus K+ yellow reaction, presence of atranorin and rhizocarpic acid, and the substrate preference to sandstone or basalt. A key is provided to assist in the identification of Protoparmeliopsis species in Korea.

Dlhawksworthia flavoparmeliae sp. nov., a new endolichenic fungus in Phaeosphaeriaceae

The genus Dlhawksworthia presently includes three species. All the previously described species have been isolated from plants. Besides, none of these three species have ever been recorded in China. We conducted surveys in various regions of China to isolate and identify endolichenic fungi associated with diverse lichen species. During these surveys, we isolated both previously known and undescribed fungi associated with lichens. Among these, there was an isolate of an unknown fungus. The morphological and molecular analyses indicated that this isolate represented a new species from the genus Dlhawksworthia. As a consequence, we described this fungus as Dlhawksworthia flavoparmeliae sp. nov. This is the first report of Dlhawksworthia isolated from a lichen in China and globally.

Factors at multiple scales influence the composition of terricolous lichen communities in temperate semi-arid sandy grasslands

Inland dune ecosystems are rich in terricolous lichen species. However, these communities are sensitive to human activities, both locally and globally. Since terricolous lichens have a dominant role in semi-arid sandy grasslands, it is important to explore the composition of their communities and the environmental factors affecting them. We studied the structure of the terricolous lichen assemblages of calcareous grassland in an inland duneland ecosystem by comparing the lichen communities of arid and humid dune sides on two sites with different disturbance histories. Microcoenological data were collected according to the Braun-Blanquet method. Environmental variables include the cover of bare soil, moss, litter, herb cover and height of herbs. We investigated the relationship of these variables and the presence and absence data of terricolous lichen species to sites and dune side. We found that the site had a significant effect on species richness that might reflect the different types and severity of previous disturbance events at the studied sites. On a smaller, ‘dune’ scale, in general lower herb cover and height and a higher moss cover were characteristic of arid dune sides. Most of the frequent species were negatively affected by higher moss cover. Some lichen species were more abundant (e.g. Cladonia furcata) or found only (e.g. Xanthoparmelia subdiffluens, Gyalolechia fulgens) on arid dune sides, while others preferred (e.g. C. pyxidata) or occurred only on (e.g. Peltigera species, C. rei) humid sides. It was observed that the impact of the dune side on several variables differed between sites. The diverse microhabitat types, microclimate and landscape structure, results in species-rich and valuable terricolous lichen communities forming in inland dune ecosystems.

Contributions to Molecular Phylogeny of Lichen-Forming Fungi 2. Review of Current Monophyletic Branches of the Family Physciaceae

Seven genera new to science, i.e.: Helmutiopsis, Huriopsis, Johnsheardia, Klauskalbia, Kudratovia, Kurokawia and Poeltonia of the Physciaceae are proposed for the ‘Rinodina’ atrocinerea, the ‘Rinodina’ xanthophaea, the ‘Rinodina’ cinnamomea, the ‘Heterodermia’ obscurata, the ‘Rinodina’ straussii, the ‘Anaptychia’ isidiata and the ‘Physconia’ grisea groups consequently that all form strongly supported monophyletic branches in a phylogeny analysis based on a combined matrix of nrITS and mtSSU sequences. Phylogenetic positions of species belonging to the genera Kashiwadia s. l., Leucodermia, Mischoblastia,Oxnerella, Phaeorrhiza s. l., Polyblastidium and Rinodinella s. l. are discussed. Oxnerella afghanica which for the first time recorded as parasitic lichen species from both epiphytic and saxicolous crustose lichens is designated as type species for the genus Oxnerella. Sequences of the recently described Physcia orientostellaris as well as Huriopsis xanthophaea and additional sequences of Kashiwadia aff. orientalis and Mischoblastia aff. oxydata are submitted to the GenBank. The positions of Polyblastidium casaterrinum from Costa Rica, ‘Rinodina’ efflorescens from Białowieża, Poland, and ‘Mischoblastia’ confragosula from Cambodia in the Physciaceae are confirmed in a phylogeny analysis based on the nrITS sequences. The presence of ‘extraneous mycobiont DNA’ in lichen associations is exemplified with earlier incorrect identifications of Heterodermia, Kashiwadia, Kurokawia,Oxnerella and Poeltonia specimens. Fifty-six new combinations are presented: Helmutiopsis alba (for Rinodina alba Metzler ex Arn.), Helmutiopsis aspersa (for Lecanora aspersa Borrer), Helmutiopsis atrocinerea (for Parmelia atrocinerea Fr.), Huriopsis chrysidiata (for Rinodina chrysidiata Sheard), Huriopsis chrysomelaena (for Rinodina chrysomelaena Tuck.), Huriopsis lepida (for Lecanora lepida Nyl.), Huriopsis luteonigra (for Rinodina luteonigra Zahlbr.), Huriopsis plana (for Rinodina plana H. Magn.), Huriopsis thiomela (for Lecanora thiomela Nyl.), Huriopsis xanthomelana (for Rinodina xanthomelana Müll. Arg.), Huriopsis xanthophaea (for Lecanora xanthophaea Nyl.), Johnsheardia cinnamomea (for Rinodina mniaroea var. cinnamomea Th. Fr.), Johnsheardia herteliana (for Rinodina herteliana Kaschik), Johnsheardia jamesii (for Rinodina jamesii H. Mayrhofer), Johnsheardia reagens (for Rinodina reagens Matzer et H. Mayrhofer), Johnsheardia zwackhiana (for Lecanora zwackhiana Kremp.), Kashiwadia austrostellaris (for Physcia austrostellaris Elix), Kashiwadia jackii (for Physcia jackii Moberg), Kashiwadia littoralis for Physcia littoralis Elix), Kashiwadia nubila (for Physcia nubila Moberg), and Kashiwadia tropica (for Physcia tropica Elix), Klauskalbia crocea (for Heterodermia crocea R. C. Harris), Klauskalbia flabellata (for Parmelia flabellata Fée), Klauskalbia obscurata (for Physcia speciosa (Wulfen) Nyl. *obscurata Nyl.), Klauskalbia paradoxa (for Heterodermia paradoxa Schumm et Schäfer-Verwimp), Kudratovia bohlinii (for Rinodina bohlinii H. Magn.), Kudratovia candidogrisea (for Rinodina candidogrisea Hafellner, Muggia et Obermayer), Kudratovia luridata (for Buellia luridata Körb.), Kudratovia metaboliza (for Rinodina metaboliza Vain.), Kudratovia pycnocarpa (for Rinodina pycnocarpa H. Magn.), Kudratovia roscida (for Lecanora roscida Sommerf.), Kudratovia straussii (for Rinodina straussii J. Steiner), Kudratovia terrestris (for Rinodina terrestris Tomin), Kurokawia bryorum (for Anaptychia bryorum Poelt), Kurokawia isidiata (for Anaptychia isidiata Tomin), Kurokawia mereschkowskii (for Physcia mereschkowskii Tomin), Kurokawia palmulata (for Psoroma palmulatum Michx.), Kurokawia runcinata (for Lichen runcinatus With.), Kurokawia stippea (for Parmelia aquila var. stippea Ach.), Lecania safavidiorum (for Oxnerella safavidiorum S. Y. Kondr., Zarei-Darki, Lőkös et Hur), Leucodermia erinacea (for Lichen erinaceus Ach.), Mischoblastia confragosula (for Lecanora confragosula Nyl.), Mischoblastia destituta (for Lecidea destituta Nyl.), Mischoblastia moziana (for Lecanora moziana Nyl.), Mischoblastia moziana subsp. parasitica (comb. et stat. nova for Rinodina moziana var. parasitica Kaschik et H. Mayrhofer), Mischoblastia ramboldii (for Rinodina ramboldii Kaschik), Mischoblastia vezdae (for Rinodina vezdae H. Mayrhofer), Oxnerella afghanica (for Rinodina afghanica M. Steiner et Poelt), Oxnerella castanomelodes (for Rinodina castanomelodes H. Mayrhofer et Poelt), Physciella nigricans (for Lecanora nigricans Flörke), Poeltonia elegantula (for Physconia elegantula Essl.), Poeltonia grisea (for Lichen griseus Lam.), Poeltonia isidiomuscigena (for Physconia isidiomuscigena Essl.), Poeltonia perisidiosa (for Physcia perisidiosa Erichsen), Poeltonia venusta (for Parmelia venusta Ach.), and Polyblastidium albicans (for Parmelia albicans Pers.) are proposed.

Corticolous Lichen Species Diversity on Dominant Trees in Selected Sacred Groves of Paschim Medinipur District, West Bengal, India

Sacred groves are the fairly well-protected system of community-based conservation of tree patches on account of their association with village gods, and repository of many rare and threatened elements of biodiversity. There are, however, few publications on lichens of sacred groves. The lichens have long been regarded as sensitive indicators for monitoring environmental state. The present study reports one hundred and sixteen species of lichens from forty-four genera of nineteen families in four selected sacred groves of Paschim Medinipur district, West Bengal. These lichens represent two different growth forms, i.e. crustose (105 species) and foliose (11 species). Shorea robusta, a dominant tree species in two sacred groves bears the highest lichen diversity with seventy-four species. To better understand the related biodiversity and climate, this work is likely to promote further studies on lichen diversity in other regions of West Bengal.

New Species and New Records of Lichenicolous Fungus Pyrenidium from India

The present paper interprets a new species and a new record of the lichenicolous fungus Pyrenidium from India. The new species P. dimelaenae Y. Joshi was found on the thallus of saxicolous lichen species Dimelaena oreina (Ach.) Norman and is characterised by globose to subglobose black perithecia with light greenish blue tint in ostiolar channel. The new species shares many morphological characters with other Pyrenidium species but differs in its number of spores and hosts. In addition, two new records, i.e. Lichenostigma dimelaenae Calat. et Hafellner and P. borbonicum Huanraluek, Ertz et K. D. Hyde are also being reported from India for the first time.