Astrothelium is a large
genus of
corticolous (bark-dwelling)
lichens in the family
Trypetheliaceae.[2] The genus is characterized by a corticate
thallus and diverse
ascomata structures, which can be simple, aggregated, or forming
pseudostromata. Astrothelium is also notable for the
carbonized walls of its ascomata, the so-called textura intricata (i.e., tightly interwoven) arrangement of cells in these walls, and various forms of
distoseptate, transparent
spores.
The
thallus, or the vegetative body of Astrothelium, is
corticate, meaning it is covered by a protective
cortex. The
ascomata, which are the
fruiting bodies containing the reproductive spores, can appear in various forms such as simple, aggregated, or forming
pseudostromata. These structures often differ in their composition and colour, and can be used as
characters to distinguish between species. The ascomata can range from being immersed within the thallus to prominently displayed on the surface. The
ostioles, or small openings that allow the release of spores, can be located at the apex or eccentrically on the ascomata and may appear as either simple or fused structures.[4]
Astrothelium is also notable for its ascomatal wall, which is made up of
hyphal cells and is typically carbonized. The wall features a
textura intricata, a term used to describe a tightly interwoven arrangement of cells.[4]
Within the
hamathecium, the tissue that houses the
asci (spore-producing structures), the cells are either clear or filled with oil droplets. The
ascospores, which are the sexual spores responsible for reproduction, are
distoseptate and
hyaline in appearance. They can also exhibit a variety of forms, including transversely
septate or
muriform, reflecting their segmented or multi-cellular nature.[4]
^
abcdefda Silva Cáceres, Marcela Eugenia; Aptroot, André (2017). "Lichens from the Brazilian Amazon, with special reference to the genus Astrothelium". The Bryologist. 120 (2): 166–182.
doi:
10.1639/0007-2745-120.2.166.
^
abLücking, Robert; Álvaro-Alba, Wilson Ricardo; Moncada, Bibiana; Marín-Canchala, Norida Lucia; Tunjano, Sonia Sua; Cárdenas-López, Dairon (2023). "Lichens from the Colombian Amazon: 666 taxa including 28 new species and 157 new country records document an extraordinary diversity". The Bryologist. 126 (2): 242–303.
doi:
10.1639/0007-2745-126.2.242.
^
abcdefghiAptroot, André; Sipman, Harrie J.M.; Barreto, Flávia Maria Oliveira; Nunes, Ariel Dantas; Cáceres, Marcela Eugenia da Silva (2019). "Ten new species and 34 new country records of Trypetheliaceae". The Lichenologist. 51 (1): 27–43.
doi:
10.1017/s002428291800052x.
^
abcdJunior, Isaias Oliveira; Aptroot, André; da Silva Cáceres, Marcela Eugenia (2021). "Lichens from Monte Pascoal, Bahia, Brazil, with some new pyrenocarpous species and a key to the Pyrenula species from Brazil". The Bryologist. 124 (4): 552–568.
doi:
10.1639/0007-2745-124.4.552.
^Córdova-Chávez, Octavio; Aptroot, André; Castillo-Camposa, Gonzalo; Cáceres, Marcela Eugenia da Silva; Pérez-Pérez, Rosa Emilia (2014). "Three new lichen species from cloud forest in Veracuz, Mexico". Cryptogamie, Mycologie. 35 (2): 157–162.
doi:
10.7872/crym.v35.iss2.2014.157.
^
abcdefghiAptroot, André; de Souza, Maria Fernanda; dos Santos, Lidiane Alves; Junior, Isaias Oliveira; Barbosa, Bruno Micael Cardoso; da Silva, Marcela Eugenia Cáceres (2022). "New species of lichenized fungi from Brazil, with a record report of 492 species in a small area of the Amazon Forest". The Bryologist. 125 (3): 435–467.
doi:
10.1639/0007-2745-125.3.433.
^
abda Silva Cáceres, Marcela Eugenia; Aptroot, André (2016). "First inventory of lichens from the Brazilian Amazon in Amapá State". The Bryologist. 119 (3): 250–265.
doi:
10.1639/0007-2745-119.3.250.
^
abcKalb, Klaus; Aptroot, André (2018). "New lichen species from Brazil and Venezuela". The Bryologist. 121 (1): 56–66.
doi:
10.1639/0007-2745-121.1.056.
Astrothelium is a large
genus of
corticolous (bark-dwelling)
lichens in the family
Trypetheliaceae.[2] The genus is characterized by a corticate
thallus and diverse
ascomata structures, which can be simple, aggregated, or forming
pseudostromata. Astrothelium is also notable for the
carbonized walls of its ascomata, the so-called textura intricata (i.e., tightly interwoven) arrangement of cells in these walls, and various forms of
distoseptate, transparent
spores.
The
thallus, or the vegetative body of Astrothelium, is
corticate, meaning it is covered by a protective
cortex. The
ascomata, which are the
fruiting bodies containing the reproductive spores, can appear in various forms such as simple, aggregated, or forming
pseudostromata. These structures often differ in their composition and colour, and can be used as
characters to distinguish between species. The ascomata can range from being immersed within the thallus to prominently displayed on the surface. The
ostioles, or small openings that allow the release of spores, can be located at the apex or eccentrically on the ascomata and may appear as either simple or fused structures.[4]
Astrothelium is also notable for its ascomatal wall, which is made up of
hyphal cells and is typically carbonized. The wall features a
textura intricata, a term used to describe a tightly interwoven arrangement of cells.[4]
Within the
hamathecium, the tissue that houses the
asci (spore-producing structures), the cells are either clear or filled with oil droplets. The
ascospores, which are the sexual spores responsible for reproduction, are
distoseptate and
hyaline in appearance. They can also exhibit a variety of forms, including transversely
septate or
muriform, reflecting their segmented or multi-cellular nature.[4]
^
abcdefda Silva Cáceres, Marcela Eugenia; Aptroot, André (2017). "Lichens from the Brazilian Amazon, with special reference to the genus Astrothelium". The Bryologist. 120 (2): 166–182.
doi:
10.1639/0007-2745-120.2.166.
^
abLücking, Robert; Álvaro-Alba, Wilson Ricardo; Moncada, Bibiana; Marín-Canchala, Norida Lucia; Tunjano, Sonia Sua; Cárdenas-López, Dairon (2023). "Lichens from the Colombian Amazon: 666 taxa including 28 new species and 157 new country records document an extraordinary diversity". The Bryologist. 126 (2): 242–303.
doi:
10.1639/0007-2745-126.2.242.
^
abcdefghiAptroot, André; Sipman, Harrie J.M.; Barreto, Flávia Maria Oliveira; Nunes, Ariel Dantas; Cáceres, Marcela Eugenia da Silva (2019). "Ten new species and 34 new country records of Trypetheliaceae". The Lichenologist. 51 (1): 27–43.
doi:
10.1017/s002428291800052x.
^
abcdJunior, Isaias Oliveira; Aptroot, André; da Silva Cáceres, Marcela Eugenia (2021). "Lichens from Monte Pascoal, Bahia, Brazil, with some new pyrenocarpous species and a key to the Pyrenula species from Brazil". The Bryologist. 124 (4): 552–568.
doi:
10.1639/0007-2745-124.4.552.
^Córdova-Chávez, Octavio; Aptroot, André; Castillo-Camposa, Gonzalo; Cáceres, Marcela Eugenia da Silva; Pérez-Pérez, Rosa Emilia (2014). "Three new lichen species from cloud forest in Veracuz, Mexico". Cryptogamie, Mycologie. 35 (2): 157–162.
doi:
10.7872/crym.v35.iss2.2014.157.
^
abcdefghiAptroot, André; de Souza, Maria Fernanda; dos Santos, Lidiane Alves; Junior, Isaias Oliveira; Barbosa, Bruno Micael Cardoso; da Silva, Marcela Eugenia Cáceres (2022). "New species of lichenized fungi from Brazil, with a record report of 492 species in a small area of the Amazon Forest". The Bryologist. 125 (3): 435–467.
doi:
10.1639/0007-2745-125.3.433.
^
abda Silva Cáceres, Marcela Eugenia; Aptroot, André (2016). "First inventory of lichens from the Brazilian Amazon in Amapá State". The Bryologist. 119 (3): 250–265.
doi:
10.1639/0007-2745-119.3.250.
^
abcKalb, Klaus; Aptroot, André (2018). "New lichen species from Brazil and Venezuela". The Bryologist. 121 (1): 56–66.
doi:
10.1639/0007-2745-121.1.056.