''Cyphellostereum bicolor'' is a species of

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)

basidiolichen Basidiolichens are lichenized members of the Division (taxonomy), division Basidiomycota within the subkingdom Dikarya of the Kingdom (biology), kingdom Fungus, Fungi. They form a diverse yet much smaller group of lichens than the far more commo ...

in the family

Hygrophoraceae The Hygrophoraceae are a family (biology), family of fungi in the order (biology), order Agaricales. Originally conceived as containing white-spored, thick-gilled agarics (gilled mushrooms), including ''Hygrophorus'' and ''Hygrocybe'' species (th ...

. Found in

Mauritius Mauritius, officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island country in the Indian Ocean, about off the southeastern coast of East Africa, east of Madagascar. It includes the main island (also called Mauritius), as well as Rodrigues, Ag ...

, it was

formally described A species description is a formal scientific description of a newly encountered species, typically articulated through a scientific publication. Its purpose is to provide a clear description of a new species of organism and explain how it differ ...

as a new species by lichenologists

Robert Lücking Robert Lücking (born 1964) is a German lichenologist, known for his extensive research on foliicolous lichens (lichens that live on leaves) and his significant contributions to the taxonomy, ecology, and biodiversity of fungi and lichens. He e ...

and Einar Timdal. The

type specimen In biology, a type is a particular wikt:en:specimen, specimen (or in some cases a group of specimens) of an organism to which the scientific name of that organism is formally associated. In other words, a type is an example that serves to ancho ...

was collected from the Bambou Mountains (

Grand Port District Grand Port () is a district of Mauritius, situated in the east of the island. The name means "large port" in French. The district has an area of 260.3 km2 and the estimated population was 112,997, as of 31 December 2015. History Grand Po ...

) at an elevation of , where it was found growing on tree bark. The

species epithet Specific name may refer to: * in Database management systems, a system-assigned name that is unique within a particular database In Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy, either of these two meanings, each with its own set of rules: * Specific name (botany) ...

''bicolor'' refers to the notable visual contrast between the vivid blue-green

cyanobacteria Cyanobacteria ( ) are a group of autotrophic gram-negative bacteria that can obtain biological energy via oxygenic photosynthesis. The name "cyanobacteria" () refers to their bluish green (cyan) color, which forms the basis of cyanobacteri ...

l filaments and the white

hypha A hypha (; ) is a long, branching, filamentous structure of a fungus, oomycete, or actinobacterium. In most fungi, hyphae are the main mode of vegetative growth, and are collectively called a mycelium. Structure A hypha consists of one o ...

l patches that give rise to the

hymenophore A hymenophore refers to the hymenium-bearing structure of a fungal fruiting body. Hymenophores can be smooth surfaces, lamellae, folds, tubes, or teeth. The term was coined by Robert Hooke Robert Hooke (; 18 July 16353 March 1703) was an ...

Description

The lichen forms a dense mat of , which are interwoven and connected by a thin to indistinct . These fibrils are horizontal to irregularly subascending, and have a vivid and uniform aeruginous color, often interspersed with white patches of densely woven, hyphae that eventually develop into hymenophores. In cross-section, the fibrils are solitary and do not form agglutinated tufts. Each fibril has its own

l sheath, which is 11–14 μm wide and approximately 2 μm thick, and is colourless. The

l filaments that compose the fibrils are 7–9 μm wide and 5–6 μm high, and have bluish-green color. They lack tubular fungal hyphae as and have sparse heterocytes that are

hyaline A hyaline substance is one with a glassy appearance. The word is derived from , and . Histopathology Hyaline cartilage is named after its glassy appearance on fresh gross pathology. On light microscopy of H&E stained slides, the extracellula ...

to yellowish and 6–8 μm wide and 4–6 μm high. The hyphal sheath is formed by loosely arranged, cylindrical, and curved hyphae that wrap around the cyanobacterial filaments. The hyphae of the hypothallus and those associated with the fibrils or forming apical are straight, hyaline, 3–5 μm thick, and lack

clamp connection A clamp connection is a hook-like structure formed by growing hyphal cells of certain fungi. It is a characteristic feature of basidiomycete fungi. It is created to ensure that each cell, or segment of hypha separated by septa (cross walls), rece ...

s. The

is developed on or underneath the white, byssoid areas as irregular, resupinate, patches, with patches typically measuring 0.5–1 mm in diameter. The hymenophore is more or less flat, with a white, smooth surface, but often has cracks and interspaces without distinct margins. In cross-section, the hymenophore is 30–50 μm thick and composed of a woven, strongly

hydrophobic In chemistry, hydrophobicity is the chemical property of a molecule (called a hydrophobe) that is seemingly repelled from a mass of water. In contrast, hydrophiles are attracted to water. Hydrophobic molecules tend to be nonpolar and, thu ...

layer resting on agglutinated, 4–6 μm thick, generative hyphae that emerge from the supporting thallus. The hymenium forms protruding, -like basidioles, which measure 20–30 by 5–6 μm.

Basidia A basidium (: basidia) is a microscopic spore-producing structure found on the hymenophore of reproductive bodies of basidiomycete fungi. The presence of basidia is one of the main characteristic features of the group. These bodies are also ...

and

basidiospore A basidiospore is a reproductive spore produced by basidiomycete fungi, a grouping that includes mushrooms, shelf fungi, rusts, and smuts. Basidiospores typically each contain one haploid Ploidy () is the number of complete sets of chromos ...

s were not observed in this species.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q107611446 Hygrophoraceae Basidiolichens Lichen species Lichens described in 2016 Lichens of Mauritius Taxa named by Robert Lücking Taxa named by Einar Timdal