Tremella lobariacearum Diederich & M. S. Christ, 1996

Westberg, Martin, Timdal, Einar, Asplund, Johan, Bendiksby, Mika, Reidar Haugan,, Jonsson, Fredrik, Larsson, Per, Odelvik, Goeran, Wedin, Mats & Millanes, Ana M., 2015, New records of lichenized and lichenicolous fungi in Scandinavia, MycoKeys 11, pp. 33-61 : 52-53

Tremella lobariacearum Diederich & M. S. Christ, 1996

Tremella lobariacearum Diederich & M. S. Christ. Bibl. Lichenol. 61: 103. 1996.

Type.

PORTUGAL. Madeira : Rabaçal, on Lobaria pulmonaria . 8 Apr. 1992, P. Diederich 4935 ( LG - holotype; herb. Diederich - isotype; S F102418 - isotype!).

Distribution.

New to the Nordic countries. Tremella lobariacearum was described by Diederich (1996) and is currently known from Africa (Ile de la Réunion), Asia (Japan, Philippines, and Russia), Europe (British Isles, France, and Portugal), Macaronesia (Canary Islands and Madeira), Oceania (Papua New Guinea) and South America (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru), growing on Lobaria and Pseudocyphellaria species ( Diederich 1996, 2003, van den Boom and Etayo 2000, Etayo 2002, 2010, Coppins et al. 2012, Flakus and Kukwa 2012). The species induces the formation of pale-brown to dark-brown galls on the isidia or soredia of the host (Fig. 14 ), or occasionally also directly on the thallus. The basidia are 2-celled. Two asexual morphs, consisting of lunate conidia and asteroconidia, are often found within the galls. Tremella lobariacearum is here reported from Norway and from the Nordic Countries for the first time, growing on Lobaria pulmonaria . The species is associated to habitats with high humidity and oceanic influence. The only specimen reported was collected, together with other non-infected L. pulmonaria thalli in an area with mixed and rich populations of Lobaria , in a Fraxinus -dominated open broad-leaved deciduous stand.

Tremella includes mainly mycoparasitic taxa that grow on a wide range of fungal hosts, including lichenized hosts. However, mycologists and lichenologists in general did not look much at the lichenicolous species until the first comprehensive study by Diederich (1996). Since then, several new species have been described ( Diederich 2003, Sérusiaux et al. 2003, Diederich 2007, Zamora et al. 2011, Diederich et al. 2014, Millanes et al. 2012, 2014), and an increased interest has resulted in numerous new records, especially in the Nordic countries ( Holien and Tønsberg 1994, Alstrup et al. 2004, 2008, Pippola and Kotiranta 2008, Westberg et al. 2008, Svensson and Westberg 2010, Knutsson and Johansson 2011, Millanes et al. 2014, Thell et al. 2014, Westberg and Thor 2014). Nevertheless, both the actual diversity and the distribution area of most species are still largely unknown.

Specimen examined.

NORWAY. Hordaland: Tysnes municipality, Støle, 59°59.14'N, 05°29.84'E, alt. 60 m. 6 Apr. 2008, Asplund & Larsson ( S F263902).

Figures

Figure 14. Tremella lobariacearum. Galls induced by Tremella lobariacearum on Lobaria pulmonaria (S F 263902). Scale: 1 mm.