The genus Scutula was initially treated by Triebel & al. (1997) and Wedin & al. (2007) to include a set of lichenicolous, non-lichenized fungi. The inclusion into the Ramalinaceae was confirmed by Kistenich & al. (2018) who expanded the genus to include lichen-forming species without any obvious parasitic life-cycle stages. The parasitic members are known to produce two or three types of pycnidia containing either micro-, meso- or macroconidia. Similarly, Scutula circumspecta produces three pycnidial types, whereas S. effusa is only known to produce short-bacilliform conidia, likely corresponding to the microconidia. A key to most species occurring in Italy is in Cannon & al. (2023c). For the distribution of the lichenicolous species in Italy see Brackel (2016).

References

Brackel von W. 2016. Preliminary checklist of the lichenicolous fungi of Italy. Not. Soc. Lich. Ital., 29: 95-146.
Cannon P., Ekman S., Kistenich S., LaGreca S., Printzen C., Timdal E., Aptroot A., Coppins B., Fletcher A., Sanderson N. Simkin J. 2023c. Lecanorales: Ramalinaceae [revision 1], including the genera Bacidia, Bacidina, Bellicidia, Biatora, Bibbya, Bilimbia, Cliostomum, Kiliasia, Lecania, Megalaria, Mycobilimbia, Phyllopsora, Ramalina, Scutula, Thalloidima, Toninia, Toniniopsis and Tylothallia. Revisions of British and Irish Lichens, 35: 1-85.
Kistenich S., Timdal E., Bendiksby M., Ekman S. 2018. Molecular systematics and character evolution in the lichen family Ramalinaceae (Ascomycota: Lecanorales). Taxon, 67, 5: 871-904.
Triebel D., Wedin M., Rambold G. 1997. The genus Scutula (lichenicolous ascomycetes, Lecanorales): species on the Peltigera canina and P. horizontalis groups. Symb. Bot. Upsal., 32, 1: 323-337.
Wedin M., Ihlen P.G., Triebel D. 2007. Scutula tuberculosa, the correct name of the Scutula growing on Solorina spp., with a key to Scutula s. str. in the Northern Hemisphere. Lichenologist, 39, 4: 329-333.

Last modified: October, 11, 2025

Project Dryades, Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste - CC BY-SA 4.0