Anisomeridium globosum Aptroot, D.S. Andrade & M. Cáceres, 2015

Aptroot, André, Andrade, Dannyelly Santos, Mendonça, Cléverton, Lima, Edvaneide Leandro De & Cáceres, Marcela Eugenia Da Silva, 2015, Ten new species of corticolous pyrenocarpous lichens from NE Brazil, Phytotaxa 197 (3), pp. 197-206 : 198

Anisomeridium globosum Aptroot, D.S. Andrade & M. Cáceres , sp. nov. ( Fig. 1A–B )

Mycobank #811016

Corticolous Anisomeridium with thallus corticate, greyish green, ascospores 1-septate, 8–10.5 × 4.5–6 μm, septum distinctly submedian so that the lumen of the lower cell is only about a quarter of the size from the upper cell.

Holotype: — BRAZIL. Sergipe: Capela, Refúgio de Vida Silvestre Mata do Junco ; 10˚32’S, 37˚03’W; alt. 150 m; on bark of tree; 11 February 2014, D.S. Andrade T2 A20 ( ISE; isotype: ABL).

Thallus thin, corticate, greyish green, shiny, surrounded by an irregular, c. 1 mm wide white prothallus zone. Ascomata almost globose, superficial in the bark but completely covered by a thin layer of thallus, 0.3–0.45 mm diam., single. Wall carbonized all around. Ostiole apical, black, protruding through the thallus. Hamathecium not inspersed with oil droplets, filaments anastomosing above the asci. Asci cylindrical, 80–95 × 5.5–7.5 μm, with small ocular chamber.Ascospores 8/ascus, hyaline, uniseriate, 1-septate, 8–10.5 × 4.5–6 μm, lower end pointed, upper end rounded, septum distinctly submedian so that the lumen of the lower cell is only about a quarter of the size from the upper cell. Pycnidia not observed. Chemistry: Thallus UV –; no substances detected with TLC.

Ecology and distribution: —On smooth bark in undisturbed Atlantic rain forest. Only known from Brazil.

Discussion: —In this genus there are only relatively few species known with a corticate thallus ( Harris 1995; Aptroot et al. 1997; Aptroot & Seaward 1999), and all have larger ascospores, and also differ in at least one other key character.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Anisomeridium globosum (isotype ABL); A, habitus showing superficial ascomata; B, ascus.A: bar = 0.5 mm; B: bar = 10 μm.