Biology:Glyphopsis
Glyphopsis is a fungal genus of uncertain familial placement in the order Arthoniales.[1][2] It contains the single species Glyphopsis aurantiodisca, a bark-dwelling crustose lichen found in New Caledonia. Both the genus and species were described as new to science in 2014 by the Dutch lichenologist André Aptroot.
Description
Glyphopsis aurantiodisca has a crustose (crust-like) thallus, which is white and adheres closely to the bark of trees. The thallus is thin, cracked, and lacks a protective outer layer ([[Glossary of lichen terms#{{biology:{1}}}|{{Biology:{1}}}]]), giving it a dull appearance. It often contains hyaline (colourless) crystals that can fall out, leaving angular holes in the surface. The internal tissue (medulla) is white, and no [[Glossary of lichen terms#{{biology:{1}}}|{{Biology:{1}}}]] (a distinct boundary layer) is present. The lichen hosts [[Glossary of lichen terms#{{biology:{1}}}|{{Biology:{1}}}]] algae, a type of green algae that forms a symbiotic relationship with the fungus.[3]
The ascomata (fruiting bodies) are [[Glossary of lichen terms#{{biology:{1}}}|{{Biology:{1}}}]] (directly attached to the [[Glossary of lichen terms#{{biology:{1}}}|{{Biology:{1}}}]] without a stalk) and have a broad base. These structures are typically round to irregularly shaped, sometimes branching slightly, and are often grouped together in [[Glossary of lichen terms#{{biology:{1}}}|{{Biology:{1}}}]]-like (supportive tissue) formations. The ascomata measure between 0.5 and 1.4 mm in diameter and feature a bright orange, [[Glossary of lichen terms#{{biology:{1}}}|{{Biology:{1}}}]] (powdery) [[Glossary of lichen terms#{{biology:{1}}}|{{Biology:{1}}}]] that is exposed. The margins of the ascomata are raised above the disc and are of the same white colour as the thallus, measuring around 0.2 mm wide.[3]
The outer layer of the ascomata ([[Glossary of lichen terms#{{biology:{1}}}|{{Biology:{1}}}]]) is hyaline and contains large, angular crystals, with the hyphae (fungal filaments) also incrusted with small hyaline crystals. The underlying tissue ([[Glossary of lichen terms#{{biology:{1}}}|{{Biology:{1}}}]]) is yellowish and measures about 100–155 μm in height. The surrounding tissue ([[Glossary of lichen terms#{{biology:{1}}}|{{Biology:{1}}}]]) is thin and contains orange pigment, while the internal tissue ([[Glossary of lichen terms#{{biology:{1}}}|{{Biology:{1}}}]]) is not filled with granular material ([[Glossary of lichen terms#{{biology:{1}}}|{{Biology:{1}}}]]) but shows streaks of orange pigment and contains filaments that intertwine (anastomose).[3]
The asci, which are spore-producing sacs, are broadly [[Glossary of lichen terms#{{biology:{1}}}|{{Biology:{1}}}]] (club-shaped) and contain eight [[Glossary of lichen terms#{{biology:{1}}}|{{Biology:{1}}}]] each. These ascospores are hyaline, somewhat clavate in shape, and typically have 5 to 7 transverse septa (dividing partitions) with 1 to 4 longitudinal septa. They measure 18–21 by 7–8.5 μm.[3]
Chemically, the thallus reacts to ultraviolet light with a white fluorescence and contains divaricatic acid and zeorin, two lichen products identified through thin-layer chromatography (TLC). The ascomata also contain two anthraquinones, pigments responsible for the bright orange colour, although these compounds do not appear on TLC tests.[3]
Habitat and distribution
Glyphopsis aurantiodisca is found exclusively in New Caledonia, where it inhabits the bark of trees in scrub forests. The species has been recorded from the Plaine des Lacs region, specifically along the Rivière des Lacs (fr) at an elevation of about 250 m (820 ft). At the time of its original publication, this lichen was known to occur only from this location, making it endemic to the New Caledonia region.[3]
References
- ↑ "Glyphopsis". Species 2000: Leiden, the Netherlands. https://www.catalogueoflife.org/data/taxon/634JQ.
- ↑ Wijayawardene, N.N.; Hyde, K.D.; Dai, D.Q.; Sánchez-García, M.; Goto, B.T.; Saxena, R.K. et al. (2022). "Outline of Fungi and fungus-like taxa – 2021". Mycosphere 13 (1): 53–453 [91]. doi:10.5943/mycosphere/13/1/2. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/358798332.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Aptroot, André (2014). "Two new genera of Arthoniales from New Caledonia and the Solomon Islands, with the description of eight further species". The Bryologist 117 (3): 282–289. doi:10.1639/0007-2745-117.3.282. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/278708700.
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