Astrothelium inspersoconicum | |
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Scientific classification
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Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Fungi |
Division: | Ascomycota |
Class: | Dothideomycetes |
Order: | Trypetheliales |
Family: | Trypetheliaceae |
Genus: | Astrothelium |
Species: | A. inspersoconicum
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Binomial name | |
Astrothelium inspersoconicum | |
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Holotype: Runakanda – Maguru Ganga area of Sri Lanka [1] |
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.
The 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]
Astrothelium 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]
This species is found in Asia, specifically recorded in Sri Lanka. [1]