Biology:Gyalectidium membranaceum
| Gyalectidium membranaceum | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Lecanoromycetes |
| Order: | Graphidales |
| Family: | Gomphillaceae |
| Genus: | Gyalectidium |
| Species: | G. membranaceum
|
| Binomial name | |
| Gyalectidium membranaceum Sérusiaux & Lücking (2001)
| |
Gyalectidium membranaceum is a species of lichen-forming fungus in the family Gomphillaceae.[1] It is a tiny, foliicolous (leaf-dwelling) lichen known only from cloud forest on the island of La Palma in the Canary Islands. The species is distinguished by its unusual bluish, membrane-like reproductive structures, and no sexual fruiting bodies have been observed.
Taxonomy
Gyalectidium membranaceum was described as a new species in 2001 by Emmanuël Sérusiaux and Robert Lücking. In the original account, it was characterized by its thin, meagre thallus and by [[Glossary of lichen terms#{{biology:{1}}}|{{Biology:{1}}}]] (asexual reproductive structures) reduced to a bluish, membrane-like layer that covers a mass of conidial spores (diahyphae).[2]
The species was compared with Gyalectidium imperfectum, which also has hyphophores reduced to adnate spots. G. membranaceum differs by having much thinner, more membrane-like hyphophores and a thallus that is distinctly cracked into small patches ([[Glossary of lichen terms#{{biology:{1}}}|{{Biology:{1}}}]]) rather than finely warty ([[Glossary of lichen terms#{{biology:{1}}}|{{Biology:{1}}}]]). The authors suggested that the membranaceous layer together with the diahyphal mass functions as a single dispersal unit, since many thalli have strongly scalloped ([[Glossary of lichen terms#{{biology:{1}}}|{{Biology:{1}}}]]) margins where these structures appear to have been removed as a whole.[2]
Description
The thallus forms very small, rounded to crenate, rather ill-developed patches about 0.05–0.1 mm in diameter. It is indistinctly areolate, with a whitish, flattened crystalline cluster at the centre surrounded by a thin greenish-grey marginal zone.[2]
The hyphophores are located at the thallus margins but lack the scale-like covering typical of the genus. Instead, each is reduced to a small spot of spore-producing tissue (the diahyphal mass), covered by a thin, pale bluish-grey membrane about 0.07–0.1 mm in diameter. Apothecia and pycnidia have not been reported for this species.[2]
Habitat and distribution
Gyalectidium membranaceum is known only from the island of La Palma (Canary Islands). The type locality was described as a remnant of evergreen, subtropical cloud forest, and the species was reported as very rare there, found on only a few leaves.[2]
In that locality it was observed as a pioneer on young leaves of Lauraceae, occurring together with Gyalectidium colchicum.[2]
References
- ↑ "Gyalectidium membranaceum Sérus. & Lücking". Species 2000: Leiden, the Netherlands. https://www.catalogueoflife.org/data/taxon/3HNP4.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Ferraro, Lidia I.; Lücking, Robert; Sérusiaux, Emmanuël (2001). "A world monograph of the lichen genus Gyalectidium (Gomphillaceae)". Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 137 (3): 311–345. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8339.2001.tb01126.x.
Wikidata ☰ Q21271021 entry
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