ITALIC 8.0

Protothelenella croceae (Bagl. & Carestia) Hafellner & H. Mayrhofer

in Mayrhofer, Herzogia, 7: 320, 1987. Basionym: Xenosphaeria croceae Bagl. & Carestia - Atti Soc. Critt. Ital., 2, 3: 352, 1880.

Synonyms: Pleospora croceae (Bagl. & Carestia) Vouaux

Distribution: N - Frl (Tretiach & Hafellner 2000, Brackel 2016), Piem (Isocrono & al. 2004, Brackel 2016).

Description: Thallus inapparent, not lichenized, the hyphae developing inside dying thalli of Solorina crocea or Peltigera-species. Perithecia sparse to numerous, immersed, dark brown to blackish, 0.2-0.4 mm across. Exciple brown to greenish blue in upper part, mostly colourless towards the base, of strongly anastomosing, to 1 μm wide, conglutinate hyphae with narrow lumina. Paraphysoids persistent, thread-like, strongly branched and anastomosing; periphysoids absent; hymenial gel I+ reddish or I+ blue at low concentrations, K/I+ blue, C- or C+ red. Asci 8-spored, cylindrical, thick-walled, with two functional wall layers, the outer layer I+ blue, with a very faintly I+ blue apical plug. Ascospores muriform, hyaline, narrowly ellipsoid to almost spindle-shaped, 28-40 x 9-13 μm, the outer wall distinctly thicker than the septa. Photobiont: absent. Spot tests: K-, C-, KC-, P-, UV. Chemistry: an unidentified C + red substance in the hymenium.

Note: an arctic-alpine lichenicolous fungus found growing on old, dying thalli of Solorina crocea and Peltigera-species, with optimum above treeline; certainly more widespread in the Alps, but probably overlooked.

Growth form: Lichenicolous fungus

Substrata: soil, terricolous mosses, and plant debris

Reproductive strategy: mainly sexual

paras Peltigera spp. and Solorina crocea

Commonnes-rarity: (info)

Alpine belt: rather rare

Subalpine belt: extremely rare

Oromediterranean belt: absent

Montane belt: absent

Submediterranean belt: absent

Padanian area: absent

Humid submediterranean belt: absent

Humid mediterranean belt: absent

Dry mediterranean belt: absent

pH of the substrata:

1

2

3

4

5

(info)

Solar irradiation:

1

2

3

4

5

(info)

Aridity:

1

2

3

4

5

(info)

Eutrophication:

1

2

3

4

5

(info)

Poleotolerance:

0

1

2

3

(info)

Altitudinal distribution:

1

2

3

4

5

6

(info)

Predictive model

Index Fungorum GBIF