Siphulopsis
| Siphulopsis | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Lecanoromycetes |
| Order: | Pertusariales |
| Family: | Icmadophilaceae |
| Genus: | Siphulopsis Kantvilas & A.R.Nilsen (2020) |
| Species: | S. queenslandica
|
| Binomial name | |
| Siphulopsis queenslandica (Kantvilas) Kantvilas & A.R.Nilsen (2020)
| |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Siphulopsis is a single-species fungal genus in the family Icmadophilaceae.[2][3] This monotypic genus the contains the fruticose lichen species Siphulopsis queenslandica, found in Australia. This lichen was originally described by Gintaras Kantvilas in 2018.[4] He tentatively classified it in the genus Knightiella due to morphological similarities with Knightiella eucalypti (since transferred to the genus Knightiellastrum), but molecular phylogenetics revealed it to constitute a distinct lineage.[5]
The genus name Siphulopsis combines the name Siphula, referring to a similar genus, with the Greek suffix -opsis, which denotes resemblance. This naming reflects the similarity in thallus morphology between this species and those of Siphula.[5]
Description
[edit]The species Siphulopsis queenslandica initiates its growth as small, scale-like patches (squamulose) and soon develops into shrub-like, cushioned clumps (fruticose), typically presenting a whitish to pale ashen-grey colour. This species lacks rhizines (root-like structures for attachment). Upon examination of a cross-section of the thallus, a pseudocortex can be observed. This outer layer is about 20–30 μm thick and consists of poorly differentiated, short-celled hyphae, each approximately 5 μm wide. This layer also contains sporadically interspersed dead cells of its photosynthetic partner, a unicellular green alga. The algal cells are spherical and measure between 6 and 10 μm in diameter.[5]
Reproductive structures known as ascomata are not observed in this species. However, it possesses pycnidia, which are small, flask-shaped structures embedded within the thallus, producing bacilliform (rod-shaped) conidia, which are involved in asexual reproduction.[5]
The chemical composition of Siphulopsis queenslandica includes thamnolic acid, a secondary metabolite common in many lichen species.[5]
The generic description of Siphulopsis references its fruticose thallus that contains thamnolic acid, which is somewhat similar to Siphulaebut lacks rhizines and is not genetically related to this genus.[5]
References
[edit]- ^ "Synonymy. Current Name: Siphulopsis queenslandica (Kantvilas) Kantvilas & A.R. Nilsen, in Ludwig, Kantvilas, Nilsen, Orlovich, Ohmura, Summerfield, Wilk & Lord, Lichenologist 52(3): 218 (2020)". Species Fungorum. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
- ^ "Siphulopsis". Catalogue of Life. Species 2000: Leiden, the Netherlands. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
- ^ 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 [163]. doi:10.5943/mycosphere/13/1/2. hdl:10481/76378.
- ^ Kantvilas, Gintaras (2018). "A new species of Dibaeis from Australia (Tasmania), with notes on the family Icmadophilaceae". Herzogia. 31 (p1): 562–570. doi:10.13158/heia.31.1.2018.562.
- ^ a b c d e f Ludwig, Lars R.; Kantvilas, Gintaras; Nilsen, Andy R.; Orlovich, David A.; Ohmura, Yoshihito; Summerfield, Tina C.; Wilk, Karina; Lord, Janice M. (2020). "A molecular-genetic reassessment of the circumscription of the lichen genus Icmadophila". The Lichenologist. 52 (3): 213–220. doi:10.1017/S0024282920000122.