''Aspidothelium'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

lichen A lichen ( , ) is a hybrid colony (biology), colony of algae or cyanobacteria living symbiotically among hypha, filaments of multiple fungus species, along with yeasts and bacteria embedded in the cortex or "skin", in a mutualism (biology), m ...

-forming

fungi A fungus (: fungi , , , or ; or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and mold (fungus), molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as one ...

in the family Thelenellaceae. All species in the genus have a

tropical The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the equator, where the sun may shine directly overhead. This contrasts with the temperate or polar regions of Earth, where the Sun can never be directly overhead. This is because of Earth's ax ...

distribution and are

crustose Crustose is a Habit (biology), habit of some types of algae and lichens in which the organism grows tightly appressed to a substrate, forming a biological layer. ''Crustose'' adheres very closely to the Substrate (biology), substrates at all poin ...

with a photobiont partner. Most ''Aspidothelium'' species are

foliicolous Foliicolous refers to the growth habit of certain lichens, algae, fungi, liverworts, and other bryophytes that prefer to grow on the leaves of vascular plants. ''Foliicolous'' simply means 'growing upon leaves' whilst epiphyllous derives from the ...

(leaf-dwelling), although some

corticolous This glossary of mycology is a list of definitions of terms and concepts relevant to mycology, the study of fungi. Terms in common with other fields, if repeated here, generally focus on their mycology-specific meaning. Related terms can be found ...

(bark-dwelling) species are known, as well as a single

saxicolous This glossary of mycology is a list of definitions of terms and concepts relevant to mycology, the study of fungi. Terms in common with other fields, if repeated here, generally focus on their mycology-specific meaning. Related terms can be found ...

(rock-dwelling) member.

Taxonomy

The genus was

circumscribed In geometry, a circumscribed circle for a set of points is a circle passing through each of them. Such a circle is said to ''circumscribe'' the points or a polygon formed from them; such a polygon is said to be ''inscribed'' in the circle. * Circum ...

by Finnish lichenologist

Edvard August Vainio Edvard August Vainio (born Edvard Lang; 5 August 185314 May 1929) was a Finnish lichenology, lichenologist. His early works on the lichens of Lapland (Finland), Lapland, his three-volume monograph on the lichen genus ''Cladonia'', and, in part ...

in 1890. Historically, it has at times been considered as a

synonym A synonym is a word, morpheme, or phrase that means precisely or nearly the same as another word, morpheme, or phrase in a given language. For example, in the English language, the words ''begin'', ''start'', ''commence'', and ''initiate'' are a ...

of genus '' Thelenella''. Families in which the genus has previously been classified are the

Verrucariaceae Verrucariaceae is a family of lichens and a few non-lichenised fungi in the order Verrucariales. The lichens have a wide variety of thallus forms, from crustose (crust-like) to foliose (bushy) and squamulose (scaly). Most of them grow on lan ...

, Strigulaceae, and the Aspidotheliaceae, a

monogeneric In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unispe ...

family circumscribed especially to contain this genus. Modern

molecular phylogenetic Molecular phylogenetics () is the branch of phylogeny that analyzes genetic, hereditary molecular differences, predominantly in DNA sequences, to gain information on an organism's evolutionary relationships. From these analyses, it is possible to ...

analysis has shown its placement in the family Thelenellaceae, allied with the order

Ostropales The Ostropales are an order of fungi in the class Lecanoromycetes. The order was circumscribed by Swedish botanist John Axel Nannfeldt in 1932. The order contains 4 families and 46 genera, including 6 genera of uncertain familial placement. Fa ...

Description

''Aspidothelium'' is known for its production of that range in colour from whitish to pinkish or grey and are . These perithecia often exhibit wart-like, setae, or disc-like structures on their surface. Within the perithecia, dense and unbranched and can be found alongside clavate asci and colourless

ascospore In fungi, an ascospore is the sexual spore formed inside an ascus—the sac-like cell that defines the division Ascomycota, the largest and most diverse Division (botany), division of fungi. After two parental cell nucleus, nuclei fuse, the ascu ...

s. These ascospores are typically in shape, and to transversely

septate In biology, a septum (Latin for ''something that encloses''; septa) is a wall, dividing a cavity or structure into smaller ones. A cavity or structure divided in this way may be referred to as septate. Examples Human anatomy * Interatrial se ...

. ''Aspidothelium'' is particularly notable for its unique characteristic of producing fusiform ascospores with numerous transverse septa and short, broad cells.

Species

* ''

Aspidothelium arachnoideum ''Aspidothelium'' is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Thelenellaceae. All species in the genus have a tropical distribution and are crustose with a photobiont partner. Most ''Aspidothelium'' species are foliicolous (leaf-dwelling ...

'' – Costa Rica * ''

Aspidothelium cuyabense ''Aspidothelium'' is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Thelenellaceae. All species in the genus have a tropical distribution and are crustose with a photobiont partner. Most ''Aspidothelium'' species are foliicolous (leaf-dwelling ...

'' * ''

Aspidothelium gemmiferum ''Aspidothelium'' is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Thelenellaceae. All species in the genus have a tropical distribution and are crustose with a photobiont partner. Most ''Aspidothelium'' species are foliicolous (leaf-dwelling ...

'' – Papua New Guinea * ''

Aspidothelium glabrum ''Aspidothelium'' is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Thelenellaceae. All species in the genus have a tropical distribution and are crustose with a photobiont partner. Most ''Aspidothelium'' species are foliicolous (leaf-dwelling ...

'' – Costa Rica * ''

Aspidothelium hirsutum ''Aspidothelium'' is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Thelenellaceae. All species in the genus have a tropical distribution and are crustose with a photobiont partner. Most ''Aspidothelium'' species are foliicolous (leaf-dwelling ...

'' – Ethiopia * ''

Aspidothelium lueckingii ''Aspidothelium'' is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Thelenellaceae. All species in the genus have a tropical The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the equator, where the sun may shine directly overhead. This contr ...

'' – Bolivia * ''

Aspidothelium macrosporum ''Aspidothelium'' is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Thelenellaceae. All species in the genus have a tropical distribution and are crustose with a photobiont partner. Most ''Aspidothelium'' species are foliicolous (leaf-dwelling ...

'' * ''

Aspidothelium mirabile ''Aspidothelium'' is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Thelenellaceae. All species in the genus have a tropical distribution and are crustose with a photobiont partner. Most ''Aspidothelium'' species are foliicolous (leaf-dwelling ...

'' – Ecuador * ''

Aspidothelium ornatum ''Aspidothelium'' is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Thelenellaceae. All species in the genus have a tropical distribution and are crustose with a photobiont partner. Most ''Aspidothelium'' species are foliicolous (leaf-dwelling ...

'' – Ecuador * ''

Aspidothelium papillicarpum ''Aspidothelium'' is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Thelenellaceae. All species in the genus have a tropical distribution and are crustose with a photobiont partner. Most ''Aspidothelium'' species are foliicolous (leaf-dwelling), ...

'' – Costa Rica * ''

Aspidothelium scutellicarpum ''Aspidothelium'' is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Thelenellaceae. All species in the genus have a tropical distribution and are crustose with a photobiont partner. Most ''Aspidothelium'' species are foliicolous (leaf-dwelling ...

'' – Ecuador * ''

Aspidothelium silverstonei ''Aspidothelium'' is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Thelenellaceae. All species in the genus have a tropical distribution and are crustose with a photobiont partner. Most ''Aspidothelium'' species are foliicolous (leaf-dwelling) ...

'' – Colombia * ''

Aspidothelium submuriforme ''Aspidothelium'' is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Thelenellaceae. All species in the genus have a tropical distribution and are crustose with a photobiont partner. Most ''Aspidothelium'' species are foliicolous (leaf-dwelling) ...

'' – Argentina * ''

Aspidothelium trichothelioides ''Aspidothelium'' is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Thelenellaceae. All species in the genus have a tropical distribution and are crustose lichen, crustose with a photobiont partner. Most ''Aspidothelium'' species are foliicolous ...

'' – Africa & tropical America * ''

Aspidothelium verruculosum ''Aspidothelium'' is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Thelenellaceae. All species in the genus have a tropical distribution and are crustose lichen, crustose with a photobiont partner. Most ''Aspidothelium'' species are foliicolous ...

'' – tropical Asia & Australia

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q10420364 Ostropales Lichen genera Taxa described in 1890 Taxa named by Edvard August Vainio