Family Physciaceae Research Articles

A new Nalassus Mulsant, 1854 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) from Transcaucasia with a key to species from the Greater Caucasus and notes on the taxonomy, distribution, bionomics and trophic relations

A brief well-illustrated review of the tenebrionid genus Nalassus Mulsant, 1854 from the Greater Caucasus is presented. A new species, N. (Caucasonotus) negrobovi Nabozhenko, sp. n. is described from the alpine zone of Abkhazia. This species is similar to N. dombaicus (Nabozhenko, 2000), N. adriani (Reitter, 1922) and N. alanicus (Nabozhenko, 2000), but differs in the structure of eyes, antennae, pronotum and elytral interstriae. The following new synonyms are proposed after examination of a series of beetles and type specimens: Nalas­sus dissonus Nabozhenko, 2001 = Nalassus lutshniki Nabozhenko, 2001, syn. n.; Nalassus colchicus madlenae Nabozhenko, 2013 = Nalassus kartvelius Nabozhenko, 2013, syn. n.; Helops cambyses Seidlitz, 1895 = Cylindronotus ahngeri Medvedev, 1998, syn. n. Keys to species from the Greater Caucasus on males and females are given. New data on bionomics, landscape and habitat distribution and trophic relations are given. Interesting patterns are observed at the level of ecological groups: forest species feed mainly on corticolous foliose lichens from the family Physciaceae Zahlbr., while alpine Nalassus use saxicolous foliose lichens from the family Parmeliaceae Zenker; steppe species feed on terricolous foliose lichens at least from the family Cladoniaceae Zenker.

Phytochemical Investigation of New Algerian Lichen Species: Physcia Mediterranea Nimis.

The present study provides new data concerning the chemical characterisation of Physcia mediterranea Nimis, a rare Mediterranean species belonging to the family Physciaceae. The phytochemical screening was carried out using GC-MS, HPLC-ESI-MS-MS, and NMR techniques. Hot extraction of n-hexane was carried out, followed by separation of the part insoluble in methanol: wax (WA-hex), from the part soluble in methanol (ME-hex). GC-MS analysis of the ME-hex part revealed the presence of methylbenzoic acids such as sparassol and atraric acid and a diterpene with a kaurene skeleton which has never been detected before in lichen species. Out of all the compounds identified by HPLC-ESI-MS-MS, sixteen compounds are common between WA-hex and ME-hex. Most are aliphatic fatty acids, phenolic compounds and depsides. The wax part is characterised by the presence of atranorin, a depside of high biological value. Proton 1H and carbon 13C NMR have confirmed its identification. Atranol, chloroatranol (depsides compound), Ffukinanolide (sesquiterpene lactones), leprolomin (diphenyl ether), muronic acid (triterpenes), and ursolic acid (triterpenes) have also been identified in ME-hex. The results suggested that Physcia mediterranea Nimis is a valuable source of bioactive compounds that could be useful for several applications as functional foods, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals.

Revision of the Lichen Genus Phaeophyscia and Allied Atranorin Absent Taxa (Physciaceae) in South Korea.

The genus Phaeophyscia Moberg, which belongs to the family Physciaceae, includes about 50 species, with 17 species reported in South Korea. This genus is characterized by a foliose thallus, Physcia/Pachysporaria-type ascospores, a paraplectenchymatous-type lower cortex, and lacking atranorin. In this study, about 650 specimens of Phaeophyscia aligned with the atranorin-absent groups collected from South Korea were re-examined. The taxonomy of these groups in South Korea requires revision based on the analyses of the morphology, chemistry, and molecular phylogeny. We infer that (1) each genus of the main foliose groups of Physciaceae forms a monophyletic clade, which also supports the separation of Phaeophyscia species with a prosoplectenchymatous lower cortex into the genus Physciella; (2) three atranorin-lacking genera were confirmed in South Korea: Hyperphyscia, Phaeophyscia, and Physciella, including a new combination named Physciella poeltii (Frey) D. Liu and J.S. Hur, and three new records from South Korea of Phaeophyscia hunana, P. leana, and P. sonorae; and (3) four species should be excluded from the lichen flora of South Korea: Hyperphyscia adglutinata, Phaeophyscia endococcina, Phaeophyscia erythrocardia, and Phaeophyscia imbricata.

Epiphytic Lichen Diversity on Jacaranda and Acacia Trees in Pretoria (Tshwane, Republic of South Africa)

Maphangwa, K.W., Sipman, H.J.M., Tekere, M, & Zedda, L. 2018. Epiphytic lichen diversity on Jacaranda and Acacia trees in Pretoria (Tshwane, Republic of South Africa). – Herzogia 31: 949–964.

Helmut Mayrhofer – A Tribute on the Occasion of His 65th Birthday

Helmut Mayrhofer has been contributing to understanding the systematics and diversity of lichenized fungi for over four decades. In this paper introducing a Festschrift on the occasion of his 65th birthday, we review the impact of Helmut Mayrhofer's scientific work on the systematics of lichenized fungi with special emphasis on the family Physciaceae and highlight his studies of the lichen flora of the Balkan Peninsula, the Alps and other regions. We also present a bibliography of his publications from 1973 to the present.

The lichen family Physciaceae in Thailand—II. Contributions to the genus Heterodermia sensu lato

A revision of 245 Heterodermia s.lat. collections from Thailand preserved in RAMK, herb. F. Schumm and herb. K. Kalb is presented. The 39 species found in this material are assigned to the genera Heterodermia Trevis. s.str. with a lower cortex and Pachysporaria-type ascospores (without sporoblastidia), Leucodermia Kalb, gen. nov., with foliose to subfruticose, linear-elongate, ribbon-like, dichotomously branched lobes, loosely attached to the substrate, without a lower cortex, apothecia often with pruinose discs and Polyblastidium-type ascospores (with sporoblastidia) and Polyblastidium Kalb, gen. nov. distinguished by a foliose thallus attached to the substrate, no lower cortex and mostly Polyblastidium-type ascospores. The remaining species are assigned to groups without a formal generic name, awaiting further results from molecular phylogenies. The Heterodermia comosa group contains species which are similar to Leucodermia, but differ in having a subfruticose or rosulate thallus with ascending, spathulate or paddle-shaped lobes and the Heterodermia obscurata group which contains species with a fluffy cottony woolly lower surface which is totally or at least partly impregnated by anthraquinones. Standardized descriptions are provided for all the better known Heterodermia species s.str. worldwide and all other species found in the material studied or reported for Thailand in the literature, as well as species which might be expected to occur in the country. The new species, Leucodermia borphyllidiata Kalb & Meesim, similar to L. boryi, but differing in having a phyllidiate thallus is described, and the new combinations, Leucodermia appalachensis (Kurok.) Kalb, L. arsenii (Kurok.) Kalb, L. boryi (Fée) Kalb, L. ciliatomarginata (Linder) Kalb, L. circinalis (Zahlbr.) Kalb, L. fertilis (Moberg) Kalb, L. leucomelos (L.) Kalb, L. lutescens (Kurok.) Kalb, L. vulgaris (Vain.) Kalb, Polyblastidium appendiculatum (Kurok.) Kalb, P. casarettianum (A. Massal.) Kalb, P. corallophorum (Taylor) Kalb, P. dendriticum (Pers.) Kalb, P. fragilissimum (Kurok.) Kalb, P. hypocaesium (Yasuda) Kalb, P. hypoleucum (Ach.) Kalb, P. japonicum (M. Satô) Kalb, P. magellanicum (Zahlbr.) Kalb, P. microphyllum (Kurok.) Kalb, P. neglectum (Lendemer, R.C. Harris & Tripp) Kalb, comb. nov. [Mycobank MB 813853; Basionym: Heterodermia neglecta Lendemer, R.C. Harris & Tripp, The Bryologist 110(3): 490 (2007)], P. propaguliferum (Vain.) Kalb, P. queenslandicum (Elix) Kalb, P. subneglectum (Elix) Kalb and P. violostriatum (Elix) Kalb, are made. Chaudhuria Zahlbr. is a synonym of Heterodermia s.str. and Chaudhuria indica Zahlbr. is an older synonym for Heterodermia verdonii Elix, but as the name Heterodermia indica (H. Magn.) D.D. Awasthi already exists for another species, the correct name for this taxon reverts to H. verdonii. Chemical analyses revealed that Heterodermia reagens (Kurok.) Elix must be placed into synonymy with Polyblastidium propaguliferum (Vain.) Kalb. Dichotomous keys for the identification of all species are provided. Characteristic TLC profiles for selected species are presented and Rf values for the most important terpenes and pigments are given for the first time in the standard solvents A, B' and C. Photographs showing the species as well as characteristic structures in the genera and groups are also provided. A new epitype for H. comosa from Réunion is designated.

Glucomannan and branched (1 → 3)(1 → 6) β-glucan from the aposymbiotically grown Physcia kalbii mycobiont

Cultures of the mycobiont Physcia kalbii were obtained from germinated ascospores and cultivated on Sabouraud-Sucrose-agar medium. Alkaline extraction of freeze-dried mycelia provided a branched (1→3),(1→6)-β-glucan and a glucomannan, whose chemical structure was determined by monosaccharide composition, methylation, controlled Smith degradation and NMR spectroscopic analysis. The β-glucan had a (1→3)-linked β-glucopyranosyl backbone, partially substituted (approx. 50% of the units) at O-6. The side chains were formed by 6-O- (∼82%) and 2,6-O-linked-β-Glcp units, while the non-reducing ends were formed by β-glucopyranosyl residues. The glucomannan had (1→6)-linked α-Manp units in the main chain, almost all being substituted at O-2 by α-Manp and α-Glcp units. This glucomannan could be a typical polysaccharide of lichens from the family Physciaceae.

Changing lichen diversity in and around urban settlements of Garhwal Himalayas due to increasing anthropogenic activities

Decrease in lichen diversity is an important biometric tool to assess the prevailing environmental condition in an area. An attempt has been made to explore the utility of lichen diversity in the monitoring of air pollution in the city of Pauri and Srinagar, Garhwal Himalayas, Uttaranchal. Eighty five lichen species were recorded from Pauri and Srinagar (Garhwal) in June 2005. It was observed that polluted sites had very low lichen diversity, mostly dominated by members of lichen family Physciaceae. Kiyonkaleshwar area is the site with maximum lichen diversity (46 lichen taxa) located in a more or less pollution-free area of Pauri city. Two-dimensional principal components analysis plot revealed significant positive contribution of natural (unaltered) sites towards lichen biodiversity, thus affirming the utility of lichen diversity in biomonitoring studies in a wide geographical area.

Tropical urban lichens: observations from Singapore

The known lichen diversity of Singapore, 296 species, is comparable with temperate lowland areas, but the taxa involved are different, even at high taxonomic levels: the commonest orders are Arthoniales and Graphidales instead of Lecanorales. Epiphytic species dominate, while saxicolous and terrestrial species are rare. Comparison with pre-2000 records and non-urbanized areas suggests a decrease in forest lichens, cyanophilous macrolichens, and the nitrophilous family Physciaceae.

Three New Records of Lichen Family Physciaceae from India

3 species viz. Dirinaria confusa D.D. Awasthi, Heterodermia pandurata (Kurok.) J.C. Wei and Heterodermia squamulosa (Degel.) W.L. Culb. Area reported for the first time from India.

Divergent Histories of rDNA Group I Introns in the Lichen Family Physciaceae

The wide but sporadic distribution of group I introns in protists, plants, and fungi, as well as in eubacteria, likely resulted from extensive lateral transfer followed by differential loss. The extent of horizontal transfer of group I introns can potentially be determined by examining closely related species or genera. We used a phylogenetic approach with a large data set (including 62 novel large subunit [LSU] rRNA group I introns) to study intron movement within the monophyletic lichen family Physciaceae. Our results show five cases of horizontal transfer into homologous sites between species but do not support transposition into ectopic sites. This is in contrast to previous work with Physciaceae small subunit (SSU) rDNA group I introns where strong support was found for multiple ectopic transpositions. This difference in the apparent number of ectopic intron movements between SSU and LSU rDNA genes may in part be explained by a larger number of positions in the SSU rRNA, which can support the insertion and/or retention of group I introns. In contrast, we suggest that the LSU rRNA may have fewer acceptable positions and therefore intron spread is limited in this gene.

Phylogenetic relationships of the Physciaceae inferred from rDNA sequence data and selected phenotypic characters

The monophyletic origin of the ascomycete family Physciaceae, its position within the Lecanorales and the phylogenetic structure within the family were investigated using nuclear rDNA sequence analyses. The common origin of the Caliciaceae and Physciaceae as previously shown (Wedin et al 2000) was confirmed. Further it could be shown that the Caliciaceae are nested within the Physciaceae. A unique region in loop 37 of the SSU rRNA secondary structure model was identified, which characterizes the Physciaceae/Caliciaceae. The SSU rDNA sequence data did not support a particular relationship with any other Lecanoralean family. Analyses of ITS rDNA sequences revealed a bifurcation of the Physciaceae/Caliciaceae clade, which was found to be congruent with the distribution of certain morphological characters. The congruence with the ITS phylogeny demonstrated the phylogenetic significance of ascus type, hypothecium pigmentation, ascospore characters and excipulum type. Fine-structure details of ascospores and the structure of excipula were found to be important in the recognition of convergences in these traits. Other previously used characters, i.e., growth habit, certain ascospore types or structure of the upper cortex, were found to be of multiple origins within the Physciaceae. All monophyletic lineages of noncrustose growth habit exhibit uniform ascospore types, indicating a higher evolutionary age of ascospore types than foliose growth habit. The taxonomic segregation of the Physciaceae into the Physciaceae and Caliciaceae is proposed here.

Phylogenetic Relationships of the Physciaceae Inferred from rDNA Sequence Data and Selected Phenotypic Characters

The monophyletic origin of the ascomycete family Physciaceae, its position within the Lecanorales and the phylogenetic structure within the family were investigated using nuclear rDNA sequence analyses. The common origin of the Caliciaceae and Physciaceae as previously shown (Wedin et al 2000) was confirmed. Further it could be shown that the Caliciaceae are nested within the Physciaceae. A unique region in loop 37 of the SSU rRNA secondary structure model was identified, which characterizes the Physciaceae/Caliciaceae. The SSU rDNA sequence data did not support a particular relationship with any other Lecanoralean family. Analyses of ITS rDNA sequences revealed a bifurcation of the Physciaceae/Caliciaceae clade, which was found to be congruent with the distribution of certain morphological characters. The congruence with the ITS phylogeny demonstrated the phylogenetic significance of ascus type, hypothecium pigmentation, ascospore characters and excipulum type. Fine-structure details of ascospores and the structure of excipula were found to be important in the recognition of convergences in these traits. Other previously used characters, i.e., growth habit, certain ascospore types or structure of the upper cortex, were found to be of multiple origins within the Physciaceae. All monophyletic lineages of noncrustose growth habit exhibit uniform ascospore types, indicating a higher evolutionary age of ascospore types than foliose growth habit. The taxonomic segregation of the Physciaceae into the Physciaceae and Caliciaceae is proposed here.

Foliose and placodioid species of the lichen family Physciaceae in southernmost Chile

Abstract: Ten foliose and placodioid species of Physciaceae are reported from the National Park Torres del Paine and from other areas in southernmost Chile. Phaeophyscia constipata and Physconia perisidiosa are reported as new to the Southern Hemisphere, Phaeophyscia endococcina var. endococcina and Phaeorrhiza nimbosa as new to South America, and Dimelaena oreina and Physcia kalbii as new to Chile. The latter was recorded only from the island of Chiloé. Dimelaena appears to be rare in Magallanes and has been recorded only from one steppe locality. Phaeophyscia constipata and Phaeorrhiza nimbosa appear to be confined to the driest steppes, in areas with occurrences of rock outcrops associated with calcareous soil. Physconia muscigena has a similar habitat ecology, but a wider distribution, and is quite common. Physconia perisidiosa and Physcia adscendens were found to be very common in all bioclimatic zones surveyed in the lowland of Torres del Paine. The Physciaceae species treated here are all bipolar or subcosmopolitan, and belong to genera lacking an austral or South American element in the area studied, in contrast to the pattern in all other reasonably large macrolichen groups, except among cetrarioid genera. Their habitat ecology is also very similar to conditions known in the Northern Hemisphere. On the other hand, other widely distributed Northern Hemisphere species such as Physcia stellaris and P. aipolia have known distribution patterns in South America which are disjunct and northern and very different from those of the species treated here.

Photobiont Diversity in the Physciaceae (Lecanorales)

Newly designed algal-specific primers were used to amplify the ribosomal ITS region from 25 photobiont specimens from five lichenized fungi of the family Physciaceae (Lecanorales), Anaptychia ciliaris, Phaeophyscia orbicularis, Physcia caesia, P. tenella, and Physconia distorta. The obtained DNA sequences were then phylogenetically analyzed using parsimony jackknifing. The analyses indicated that the mycobionts associated with two photobiont species: Trebouxia impressa was found with all mycobionts, except Anaptychia ciliaris, which instead was associated with Trebouxia arboricola. In the jackknife tree, all Trebouxia arboricola sequences formed a monophyletic group with a high jackknife support. The Trebouxia impressa sequences also formed a well supported group, which in turn had some internal structure. The photobiont species is reported for the first time for Anaptychia ciliaris, Physcia caesia, and P. tenella. A phylogenetic tree for the photobiont, T. impressa, was compared to a phylogeny of the corresponding mycobionts, also based on ITS sequences. A combined analysis of the data from the photobiont and the data from the mycobiont was also performed. Several similarities were found in the tree topologies. The general similarity of the mycobiont and photobiont trees may indicate a coevolutionary history.

Identification of photobionts from the lichen family Physciaceae using algal-specific ITS rDNA sequencing

Abstract:The identity of photobionts from 20 species of the Physciaceae from different habitats and geographical regions has been determined by ITS rDNA sequence comparisons in order to estimate the diversity of photobionts within that lichen group, to detect patterns of specificity of mycobionts towards their photobionts and as a part of an ongoing study to investigate possible parallel cladogenesis of both symbionts. Algal-specific PCR primers have been used to determine the ITS rDNA sequences from DNA extractions of dried lichens that were up to 5 years old. Direct comparisons and phylogenetic analyses allowed the assignment of Physciaceae photobionts to four distinct clades in the photobiont ITS rDNA phylogeny. The results indicate a diversity within the genus Trebouxia Puymaly and Physciaceae photobionts that is higher than expected on the basis of morphology alone. Physciaceae photobionts belonged to 12 different ITS lineages of which nine could unambiguously be assigned to six morphospecies of Trebouxia. The identity of the remaining three sequences was not clarified; they may represent new species. Specificity at the generic level was low as a whole range of photobiont species were found within a genus of Physciaceae and different ranges were detected. The photobionts ofPhyscia (Schreb.) Michaux were closely related and represented one morphospecies of Trebouxia, whereas the algal partners of Buellia De Not and Rinodina (Ach.) S. Gray were in distant lineages of the ITS phylogeny and from several Trebouxia morphospecies. Photobiont variation within a genus of Physciaceae may be due to phylogeny, geographical distance or because photobionts from neighbouring lichens were taken (‘algal sharing’). At the species level Physciaceae mycobionts seem to be rather selective and contained photobionts that were very closely related within one morphospecies of Trebouxia.

Evolutionary trends in the Physciaceae

Abstract:The current delimitation of the family Physciaceae has been generally accepted since detailed descriptions of ascus characters allowed for a more natural circumscription of lichenized ascomycetes. The generic relations within the family are, however, still controversial and depend on the importance different authors attribute to specific morphological or chemical characteristics. The aim of this paper is to describe ascospore ontogeny and to test the present taxonomic structure of the family against a parsimony-based cladistic analysis, which includes three different scenarios of a priori character weighting. A study of ascospore ontogeny revealed two distinct developmental lines. One line revealed a delayed septum formation, which clearly showed transitions from spores with apical and median thickenings to spores without apical, but still well developed median thickenings, and to spores without any thickenings. In the second developmental line with an early septum formation, again taxa with no thickenings, median thickenings, and both median and apical thickenings were found. Although these characters were constant at a species level, median wall thickenings especially varied among otherwise closely related taxa. In the cladistic analyses the current taxonomic structure of the Physciaceae was only obtained after the five character groups, namely morphology and anatomy of the vegetative thallus, conidiomata and conidia, morphology and anatomy of the apothecia, ontogeny of the ascospores, and secondary metabolites of the thallus, were given equal importance, and after a subjective a priori weighting further increased the weight of the three characters ‘conidial shape’, ‘presence of apical thickenings’, and ‘spore septation delayed’. This structure was not supported by a cladistic analysis with equally weighted characters but reflected the biased character weighting of the present day Physciaceae taxonomy. The taxonomic importance of conidial characters and of anatomical and ontogenetical spore characteristics need, therefore, a careful reconsideration in future.

Culbersonia americana,a Rare New Lichen (Ascomycota) from Western America

Abstract Culbersonia americana, a new foliose lichen genus and species, is described from the mountains of Arizona and Peru. Although it has a unique set of identifying characters and apparently belongs to the family Physciaceae, all the material seen so far lacks apothecia, and evidence for familial placement for now remains inconclusive.

The family Physciaceae in Fennoscandia: phylogeny inferred from ITS sequences

The internal transcribed spacers (ITS1 and ITS2), and the 5.8S region of the nuclear ribosomal DNA were sequenced for 52 specimens representing 35, mosdy foliose, taxa of the lichen family Physciaceae (Lecanorales). The sequences were phylogenetically analyzed using parsimony jackknifing. Xanthoria parietina and X. sorediata were chosen as outgroups. Because of the variable nature of the ITS regions parsimony jackknifing analyses were performed on different alignments. The analyses resulted in trees with several shared, well-supported groups. A consensus tree, summarizing all the trees from different alignments was also calculated. In that tree the family Physciaceae formed a monophyletic group. Some of the crustose species of Physciaceae (in the genera Amandinea, Buellia and Dimelaena) appeared as two sister groups to the rest of the family. In this latter group Physcia, Heterodermia speciosa and Mobergia calculiformis constituted the sister group to the remaining family, which included the genera Anaptychia, Hyperphyscia, Phaeorrhiza, Phaeophyscia, Physconia, and Rinodina. The genus Phaeophyscia was found to be monophyletic with 100% support. Anaptychia and Physconia, together with Phaeorrhiza nimbosa and Rinodina turfacea formed its sister group. Hyperphyscia adglutinata was found in a trichotomy with the other two groups.

THE IDENTITY OF BUELLIA ERICINA (NYL.) JATTA AND ITS GENERIC POSITION

Abstract: The study of the type material of Buellia ericina (Nyl.) Jatta has revealed that this species is characterized by the same diagnostic characters as Rinodina madeirensis Kalb & Hafellner, and both taxa are here considered to be conspecific. The generic position of Buellia ericina is discussed and it is concluded that the species is better placed within the genus Rinodina (Ach.) Gray. New chemical data on this taxon are provided, and its sorediate variety, R. ericina var. boomii, is described as new from Portugal. Its closest affinities are shown to be with Rinodina kalbii Giralt & Matzer and probably also R. insularis (Arnold) Hafellner. This group stands apart in the family Physciaceae. It shows affinities with Diploicia A. Massal. and is included provisionally in Rinodina.