Astrothelium inspersoconicum is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Trypetheliaceae.[2] Found in Sri Lanka, it was described as a new species in 2018.
| Astrothelium inspersoconicum | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Dothideomycetes |
| Order: | Trypetheliales |
| Family: | Trypetheliaceae |
| Genus: | Astrothelium |
| Species: | A. inspersoconicum
|
| Binomial name | |
| Astrothelium inspersoconicum | |
| |
| Holotype: Runakanda – Maguru Ganga area of Sri Lanka[1] | |
Taxonomy
editThe species was officially described by the lichenologists André Aptroot and Gothamie Weerakoon in 2018. The type specimen was collected by the second author in the Runakanda – Maguru Ganga area of Sri Lanka, at an elevation of 249 m (817 ft). The epithet inspersoconicum reflects the unique combination of an inspersed hamathecium and its association with the conicum-aggregate group within the genus Astrothelium, which is a rare feature in this group.[1]
Description
editAstrothelium inspersoconicum has a corticate, smooth, and somewhat shiny thallus covering areas up to 15 cm (6 in) in diameter, with a pale greenish-grey hue and a distinct brown, glossy prothallus line. Its ascomata (fruiting bodies) are pyriform and primarily aggregated, with a carbonised wall and eccentric, fused, and conical ostioles covered by an orange pruina. The hamathecium of the species is inspersed with oil globules, a distinguishing feature. It carries hyaline, fusiform (tapered) ascospores that have three septa (internal partitions) with diamond-shaped lumina, and measure 23–25 by 7–8 μm.[1]
It is closely related to Astrothelium cinnamomeum but can be distinguished by its inspersed hamathecium. It represents a rare instance within the Astrothelium conicum-group, in which the hamathecium is typically not inspersed.[1]
Habitat and distribution
editThis species is found in Asia, specifically recorded in Sri Lanka.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e Aptroot, André; Weerakoon, Gothamie M. (2018). "Three new species and ten new records of Trypetheliaceae (Ascomycota) from Sri Lanka" (PDF). Cryptogamie, Mycologie. 39 (3): 373–378. doi:10.7872/crym/v39.iss3.2018.373.
- ^ "Astrothelium inspersoconicum Aptroot & Weerakoon". Catalogue of Life. Species 2000: Leiden, the Netherlands. Retrieved 27 February 2023.