<i>Taitaia</i>, a novel lichenicolous fungus in tropical montane forests in Kenya (East Africa)

Suija, Ave; Kaasalainen, Ulla; Kirika, Paul M.; Rikkinen, Jouko

doi:10.1017/s0024282918000026

Cited by 13 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…Therefore, one can hypothesize that the vast part of the missing diversity of licheninhabiting fungi is hidden in tropical lichen communities. Our recent observations in the Bolivian Andes, along with results of several other investigations in tropical regions, confirm that assumption (e.g., Hawksworth and Esslinger 1993;Diederich 1997;Etayo 2002Etayo , 2017Flakus and Kukwa 2012;Diederich et al 2014;Etayo et al 2013Etayo et al , 2015Etayo et al , 2018Flakus et al 2014;Farkas and Flakus 2016;Suija et al 2018). In particular, fog-exposed forests at high elevations are extremely diverse and rich in undescribed diversity of the lichen-inhabiting fungi (Diederich 1997;Flakus et al 2016).…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 85%

A new genus,Zhurbenkoa, and a novel nutritional mode revealed in the family Malmideaceae (Lecanoromycetes, Ascomycota)

et al. 2019

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Lichen-inhabiting fungi are highly specialized mycoparasites, commensals or rarely saprotrophs, that are common components of almost every ecosystem, where they develop obligate associations with lichens. Their relevance, however, contrasts with the relatively small number of these fungi described so far. Recent estimates and ongoing studies indicate that a significant fraction of their diversity remains undiscovered and may be expected in tropical regions, in particular in hyperdiverse fog-exposed montane forests. Here, we introduce the new genus Zhurbenkoa, from South America and Europe, for three lichenicolous fungi growing on thalli of the widespread lichen genus Cladonia (Lecanorales). Phylogenetic analyses based on combined sequence data of mt and nuc rDNA obtained from Andean populations (Bolivia) placed Zhurbenkoa as a member of Malmideaceae, a recently introduced family of lichen-forming fungi in the class Lecanoromycetes. Zhurbenkoa is closely related to the genera Savoronala and Sprucidea. The new genus is characterized by the development of grayish brown to almost black apothecia lacking an evident margin, an epihymenium interspersed with crystals (often seen as pruina), a strongly conglutinated hymenium made of noncapitate and sparsely branched paraphyses, a colorless exciple composed of radially arranged hyphae, a Lecanora/Micarea-like ascus type, and aseptate or 1-septate ellipsoidal colorless ascospores. Zhurbenkoa includes two Neotropical (Z. cladoniarum, Z. latispora) and one widespread (Z. epicladonia) species. The lichenicolous trophic mode is documented for the first time in the Malmideaceae, which until now included only lichen-forming associations between fungi and green algae.

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Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 85%

A new genus,Zhurbenkoa, and a novel nutritional mode revealed in the family Malmideaceae (Lecanoromycetes, Ascomycota)

et al. 2019

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“…A total of 393 cyanolichen specimens were sampled ( Supplementary Table 1 ), all collected from montane forests of Taita Hills and Mt. Kasigau in southern Kenya ( Supplementary Figure 1 ), which form the northernmost part of the Eastern Arc Mountains and are renowned for high species richness and many local endemics, including among lichens and associated fungi ( Suija et al, 2018 ; Kaasalainen et al, 2021 ). The Eastern Arc, together with other eastern African montane regions, including, for example, the Southern and Albertine Rift and the Ethiopian Highlands, form the Eastern Afromontane biodiversity hotspot ( Mittermeier et al, 2004 ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Complex Interaction Networks Among Cyanolichens of a Tropical Biodiversity Hotspot

et al. 2021

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Interactions within lichen communities include, in addition to close mutualistic associations between the main partners of specific lichen symbioses, also more elusive relationships between members of a wider symbiotic community. Here, we analyze association patterns of cyanolichen symbionts in the tropical montane forests of Taita Hills, southern Kenya, which is part of the Eastern Afromontane biodiversity hotspot. The cyanolichen specimens analyzed represent 74 mycobiont taxa within the order Peltigerales (Ascomycota), associating with 115 different variants of the photobionts genus Nostoc (Cyanobacteria). Our analysis demonstrates wide sharing of photobionts and reveals the presence of several photobiont-mediated lichen guilds. Over half of all mycobionts share photobionts with other fungal species, often from different genera or even families, while some others are strict specialists and exclusively associate with a single photobiont variant. The most extensive symbiont network involves 24 different fungal species from five genera associating with 38 Nostoc photobionts. The Nostoc photobionts belong to two main groups, the Nephroma-type Nostoc and the Collema/Peltigera-type Nostoc, and nearly all mycobionts associate only with variants of one group. Among the mycobionts, species that produce cephalodia and those without symbiotic propagules tend to be most promiscuous in photobiont choice. The extent of photobiont sharing and the structure of interaction networks differ dramatically between the two major photobiont-mediated guilds, being both more prevalent and nested among Nephroma guild fungi and more compartmentalized among Peltigera guild fungi. This presumably reflects differences in the ecological characteristics and/or requirements of the two main groups of photobionts. The same two groups of Nostoc have previously been identified from many lichens in various lichen-rich ecosystems in different parts of the world, indicating that photobiont sharing between fungal species is an integral part of lichen ecology globally. In many cases, symbiotically dispersing lichens can facilitate the dispersal of sexually reproducing species, promoting establishment and adaptation into new and marginal habitats and thus driving evolutionary diversification.

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“…The recently described genus Taitaia Suija et al . shows clear affinities with Corticifraga , from which it is separated based on molecular data and the typically aggregated apothecia (Suija et al 2018). Taitaia aurea Suija et al .…”

Section: Descriptions Of New Genera and Speciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Furthermore, the new taxon is distinguished from other species in the genus by the presence of ellipsoid to dacryoid, simple ascospores and broader paraphyses. The recently described genus Taitaia Suija et al shows clear affinities with Corticifraga, from which it is separated based on molecular data and the typically aggregated apothecia (Suija et al 2018). Taitaia aurea Suija et al possesses apothecia of a similar colour to those of C. nephromatis.…”

Section: Mycobank No: Mb 830096mentioning

confidence: 99%

Lichens and associated fungi from Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska

et al. 2020

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Lichens are widely acknowledged to be a key component of high latitude ecosystems. However, the time investment needed for full inventories and the lack of taxonomic identification resources for crustose lichen and lichenicolous fungal diversity have hampered efforts to fully gauge the depth of species richness in these ecosystems. Using a combination of classical field inventory and extensive deployment of chemical and molecular analysis, we assessed the diversity of lichens and associated fungi in Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska (USA), a mixed landscape of coastal boreal rainforest and early successional low elevation habitats deglaciated after the Little Ice Age. We collected nearly 5000 specimens and found a total of 947 taxa, including 831 taxa of lichen-forming and 96 taxa of lichenicolous fungi together with 20 taxa of saprotrophic fungi typically included in lichen studies. A total of 98 species (10.3% of those detected) could not be assigned to known species and of those, two genera and 27 species are described here as new to science: Atrophysma cyanomelanos gen. et sp. nov., Bacidina circumpulla, Biatora marmorea, Carneothele sphagnicola gen. et sp. nov., Cirrenalia lichenicola, Corticifraga nephromatis, Fuscidea muskeg, Fuscopannaria dillmaniae, Halecania athallina, Hydropunctaria alaskana, Lambiella aliphatica, Lecania hydrophobica, Lecanora viridipruinosa, Lecidea griseomarginata, L. streveleri, Miriquidica gyrizans, Niesslia peltigerae, Ochrolechia cooperi, Placynthium glaciale, Porpidia seakensis, Rhizocarpon haidense, Sagiolechia phaeospora, Sclerococcum fissurinae, Spilonema maritimum, Thelocarpon immersum, Toensbergia blastidiata and Xenonectriella nephromatis. An additional 71 ‘known unknown’ species are cursorily described. Four new combinations are made: Lepra subvelata (G. K. Merr.) T. Sprib., Ochrolechia minuta (Degel.) T. Sprib., Steineropsis laceratula (Hue) T. Sprib. & Ekman and Toensbergia geminipara (Th. Fr.) T. Sprib. & Resl. Thirty-eight taxa are new to North America and 93 additional taxa new to Alaska. We use four to eight DNA loci to validate the placement of ten of the new species in the orders Baeomycetales, Ostropales, Lecanorales, Peltigerales, Pertusariales and the broader class Lecanoromycetes with maximum likelihood analyses. We present a total of 280 new fungal DNA sequences. The lichen inventory from Glacier Bay National Park represents the second largest number of lichens and associated fungi documented from an area of comparable size and the largest to date in North America. Coming from almost 60°N, these results again underline the potential for high lichen diversity in high latitude ecosystems.

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Taitaia, a novel lichenicolous fungus in tropical montane forests in Kenya (East Africa)

Cited by 13 publications

References 32 publications

A new genus,Zhurbenkoa, and a novel nutritional mode revealed in the family Malmideaceae (Lecanoromycetes, Ascomycota)

A new genus,Zhurbenkoa, and a novel nutritional mode revealed in the family Malmideaceae (Lecanoromycetes, Ascomycota)

Complex Interaction Networks Among Cyanolichens of a Tropical Biodiversity Hotspot

Lichens and associated fungi from Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska

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