Articles by Taxonomic Group

The first Red List assessment of lichenized fungi reported from Bulgaria is presented. The IUCN Red List criteria were applied to 138 species to assess their current extinction risk and to highlight the main threats for them. Our results revealed that six species are Regionally Extinct (RE), 23 species are Critically Endangered (CR), 20 species are Endangered (EN), 13 species are Vulnerable (VU), 11 species are Near Threatened (NT), 58 species are Least Concern (LC), and seven species are Data Deficient (DD). The most important floristic regions for lichen conservation are the Pirin Mts (26 species), the Balkan Range (25), the Rila Mts (25), the Rhodopes (20), Mt. Vitosha (16), Mt. Strandzha (16), and the Black Sea coast (15). The main threats are development of tourism and recreation activities that destroy habitats (60 species affected), air pollution (55), climate change (53), development of tourism and recreation areas (41), harvesting trees and other woody vegetation (unintentional effects) (27), ecosystem modifications that convert or degrade habitats (18), and development of housing and urban areas (14). The information provided in this Red List will assist to further develop the national conservation strategy for Bulgaria.

A checklist of all taxa of lichenized and lichenicolous fungi recorded from Bulgaria is presented. The lichen biota as currently known includes 1137 taxa (1115 species, 5 subspecies, and 17 varieties) of lichenized fungi, 46 species of lichenicolous fungi, and 28 non-lichenized fungi traditionally included in lichenological literature. Lepra corallina is reported for the first time from Bulgaria. An index of synonyms based on literature records from Bulgaria is appended. It includes 1761 infrageneric names.

Thirty-six taxa of lichenized fungi, Acarospora irregularis, Arthonia mediella, Caloplaca asserigena, C. atroflava, C. subpallida, Catillaria detractula, Diplotomma hedinii, Endohyalina insularis, Lecanora rouxii, L. rupicola subsp. subplanata, Lecidea berengeriana, L. sarcogynoides, Lepra leucosora, Lepraria borealis, L. diffusa, L. elobata, L. nylanderiana, L. vouauxii, Ochrolechia arborea, Pertusaria flavicans, Protoparmeliopsis muralis var. dubyi, Pycnora praestabilis, Rinodina freyi, R. luridata var. immersa, R. occulta, R. roscida, R. sicula, R. teichophila, R. trevisanii, Rinodinella dubyanoides, Scoliciosporum umbrinum var. corticicolum, Solorina bispora var. macrospora, Strigula affinis, Tephromela atra var. torulosa, Umbilicaria freyi, and U. maculata, are reported for the first time from Bulgaria. The finding of Rinodina sicula represents the first record for the Balkan Peninsula.

Two lichen-forming fungi, Hydropunctaria scabra and Verrucaria alpicola (Verrucariaceae, Ascomycota), are reported for the first time from Bulgaria. Descriptions and ecological observations based on the Bulgarian populations are provided. For Verrucaria alpicola the ability to survive a continuous submersion over a period of at least four years is confirmed.

The new lichenicolous hyphomycete species Gonatophragmium lichenophilum, found on Xanthoria parietina in Austria, is described, illustrated, discussed and compared with other species of Gonatophragmium. A key is given to all recognised species of this genus.

Thirty six species of lichenicolous fungi are reported from India, all but one being new to the country. Endococcus incrassatus and Monodictys epilepraria are new to Asia. Endocarpon and Melanelixia are new host genera for Endococcus incrassatus and Lichenoconium xanthoriae respectively. Cladosporium licheniphilum is for the first time reported on Xanthoria candelaria, as is Corticifraga peltigerae on Peltigera elisabethae and P. ponojensis, and Nectriopsis lecanodes on Peltigera elisabethae and P. scabrosa. Two possibly undescribed species of lichenicolous fungi, viz. Cercidospora sp. on Lecanora sp. and Lichenostigma subgen. Lichenogramma sp. on Seirophora contortuplicata, are briefly described and discussed. Host lichens Peltigera ponojensis, P. scabrosa and Seirophora contortuplicata are new to India.

Five lichenized fungi in Verrucariaceae, Hydropunctaria rheitrophila, Thelidium fontigenum, T. zwackhii, Verrucaria aquatilis, and V. elaeina, are reported for the first time from Bulgaria. Detailed descriptions, illustrations, and comments are provided.

Of the 154 taxa reported, 28 species are new to Greece, 9 new to the Greek mainland and 39 new to one or more provinces. Many of these records represent substantial range extensions of species with Central European or arctic-boreal distribution. The distribution data are briefly discussed and notes are given on the species composition of different substrates.

The genus Biazrovia is described from Siberia for the single new species B. stereocaulicolagrowing on Stereocaulon species. It is characterized by a lichenicolous habit; finally urceolate orange-brown apothecia; a cupulate non-hairy exciple; a hyaline, I−, K/I− hymenium; filiform, apically swollen paraphyses; 8-spored, I−, K/I− asci with an apically thickened wall without a distinct ocular chamber; and hyaline, trans-septate, smooth-walled, non-halonate ascospores. The new genus is provisionally included in the Ostropales.

During an ongoing investigation of Iran’s lichen biota we explored two valleys in the Binaloud Mountains (west of Mashhad, Razavi Khorasan province). As a result, we report 57 species, including 18 species new to the province.

Six species and one subspecies of Rhizocarpon are reported from the Razavi Khorasan province of north east Iran. Rizocarpon saurinum is new to Asia, being previously reported only from western U.S.A. (Colorado and Utah), and Rhizocarpon macrosporum and R. geographicum subsp. tinei are new to Iran. The lichenicolous fungus Endococcus macrosporus is also reported for the first time from Iran.

A lichen survey of the Donetsk Upland (SE Ukraine) was conducted based on data collected between 2005 and 2007 and a detailed review of the literature. A total of 233 species (221 lichens and 12 lichenicolous fungi) were recorded. Five species are recorded for the first time for Ukraine: Caloplaca raesaeneni, Cladonia magyarica, C. peziziformis, Endococcus rugulosus and Rinodina cf. guzzinii. A large number of species are new records for particular biogeographic regions, including 22 species new for the plain part of Ukraine, 15 for the steppe zone of Ukraine and 145 for the Donetsk Upland. Several of the species listed here were only recently first reported for Ukraine. Some misunderstood or questionable literature records from the Donestk Upland, such as Caloplaca teicholyta, Diploschistes scruposus, Lecanora frustulosa, Rinodina exigua and Thrombium cretaceum, are discussed.

109 epiphytic lichen taxa are reported for the first time from Şerif Yüksel Research Forest in the province of Bolu in Turkey, 38 of which are new for the province and 5 are new to Turkey.

In 2007 the epiphytic and epixylic lichen mycota of old beech forests in Bulgaria was investigated: 138 lichen species were found, of which 30 are reported as new to Bulgaria: Acrocordia cavata, Bacidia arceutina, B. incompta, B. neosquamulosa, Biatoridium monasteriense, Caloplaca lucifuga, Cetrelia monachorum, Chaenotheca brachypoda, C. chlorella, C. hispidula, Cladonia parasitica, Flavoparmelia soredians, Hypotrachyna afrorevoluta, Lopadium disciforme, Megalaria grossa, Menegazzia terebrata, Micarea micrococca, M. prasina, Omphalina ericetorum, Opegrapha rufescens, O. vermicellifera,  Pertusaria pustulata, Phaeocalicium polyporaeum, Placynthiella icmalea, Ramalina baltica, Rinodina efflorescens, Schismatomma decolorans, S. pericleum, Strigula stigmatella and Usnea esperantiana; several of these are rare in Europe: Caloplaca lucifuga, Cladonia parasitica, Megalaria grossa, Pertusaria pustulata and Strigula stigmatella.

Twenty-eight lichen species and five species of lichenicolous fungi are reported new to Serbia. Moreover 68 species that previously only rarely have been reported from Serbia are listed. The genera Cliostomum, Endococcus, Mycoblastus, Mycocalicium, Ropalospora, and Schismatomma are reported from Serbia for the first time. Tara National Park harbours several macrolichens that, although having been recorded previously but usually only long ago, most likely are rare and threatened in Serbia today, e.g. Collema auriforme, Evernia divaricata, Menegazzia terebrata, and Nephroma parile. Accompanying these are numerous crustose lichens with similar habitat preferences, some of them forming rich communities of calicioid lichens. Several species new to Serbia were also found on calcareous rock outcrops.

67 species in 44 genera of lichenicolous fungi and lichens are reported from Russia, of which 44 species are from its Arctic. The new combination Sphaerellothecium icmadophilae (R. Sant.) Zhurb. is introduced. Cercidospora verrucosaria, Lettauia cladoniicola, Sphaerellothecium icmadophilae, and Stigmidium collematis are new to the Arctic. Lichenochora constrictella, Lichenopeltella cladoniarum, Marchandiomyces corallinus, Sphaerellothecium icmadophilae, Stigmidium collematis, S. leucophlebiae, and Thamnogalla crombiei are new to Russia and Asia. Another five species are new to the Russian Arctic, four species new to Siberia and 18 species new to various Russian provinces. Five lichen genera and nine lichen species are new hosts to various species of lichenicolous fungi.

A first checklist of the lichenicolous fungi of Russia is presented, based on all pertinent publications (134 sources) and some unpublished herbarium specimens. The list enumerates 276 species in 97 genera from 285 lichen host species in 102 genera. The knowledge of lichenicolous fungi in various regions of Russia is outlined.

One hundred fifty two taxa belonging to 64 genera are reported from Yaylacık and Yenice Research Forests (Bolu, Karabük, Turkey). Fifty five of 100 taxa are new to the province of Bolu and 107 of 108 taxa are new for the province of Karabük. Buellia schaereri, Caloplaca cretensis, Lichenoconium pyxidatae, and Toninia pennina, are all new records for Turkey. Comments on habitat and substrata are provided for some interesting taxa.

In the Herbarium of the W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences is housed a significant number of lichen specimens collected in Bulgaria by Janusz Nowak. Among them 22 species of Verrucaria are represented. Seven species are reported here for the first time from this country: V. dolosa, V. funckii, V. halizoa, V. hydrela, V. obfuscans, V. parmigerella, and V. procopii. In addition 15 species are reported with new records for Bulgaria.

Based on evaluation of literature and identification of recent collections, 137 species of lichenized fungi are listed for Golestan National Park, NE Iran; of these, one genus and 14 species are first reports for the country.

Fourteen parmelioid species, Cetrelia cetrarioides, Hypogymnia physodes, H. austerodes, H. vittata, Melanelixia subaurifera, Melanohalea elegantula, Parmelia saxatilis, Xanthoparmelia camtschadalis, X. delisei, X. loxodes, X. pokornyi, X. stenophylla, X. tinctina and X. verruculifera, are reported as new to Iran. The taxonomy, nomenclature and distribution of the 76 parmelioid lichen species reported from Iran and Caucasus (Russian Caucasus, Azerbaijan Republic, Georgia and Armenia) are briefly reviewed. Menegazzia subsimilis is reported for the first time from the Caucasus Region.

Llimoniella caloplacae S. Kondr. & Khodosovtsev sp. nova growing on Caloplaca borysthenica Khodosovtsev & S. Kondr. sp. nova from naked loess and mosses in the Festuco-Limonetea plant communities of the southern part of Ukraine are described, illustrated, and compared with allied taxa.

A list of lichens from Serbia is presented, comprising species new to Serbia or have been recorded once or a few times only; a few lichenicolous fungi are also included. The list is based on investigations of material in the lichen collection of the Belgrade Natural History Museum, together with that collected by the authors. In all, 54 species of lichens and eight lichenicolous fungi are reported from Serbia for the first time. The lichen genera Brodoa, Cornicularia, Hypocenomyce, Pycnora, Pyrenocollema, Rhizoplaca, Schaereria, and Solenopsora, and the lichenicolous genera Abrothallus, Carbonea, Cercidospora, Lichenodiplis, Muellerella, Scutula, and Vouauxiella are new to Serbia. Additional localities are given for 97 lichen species, for which only a few localities have been published.

A list of 586 species lichenized fungi of Serbia is presented, which summarizes all records since 1859 and provides a comprehensive bibliography of sources containing Serbian records. Synonyms mainly at the species level, relevant for the Serbian records are included.

Records of 46 lichen species and 5 species of lichenicolous fungi in Bulgaria are presented, of which 13, Agonimia tristicula, Candelariella lutella, C. plumbea, Intralichen christiansenii, Lichenostigma elongata, Lichinella nigritella, Marchandiomyces corallinus, Muellerella pygmaea var. athallina, Rinodina pityrea, Sarcopyrenia gibba var. geisleri, Scoliciosporum sarothamni, Staurothele ambrosiana, and Xanthoria nowakii are new to Bulgaria and several others are new to the Rhodopes and Black Sea coast.

Twenty-nine lichen species on gypsum soil and crystalline gypsum and five species on plant debris influenced by gypsum in Turkey have been investigated. Six species, Acarospora nodulosa, Acarospora placodiiformis, Aspicilia lacunosa, Caloplaca thuringiaca, Fulgensia desertorum and Lecidea circinarioides are new to Turkey, some records considerably extending their known distribution. Species/area curves show the localities and the lichen species as highly endangered, with on average 4 localities accounting for 50 % of the detected number of species; 29 species in 10 localities correspond to 75.5 % of the statistical optimum of ca 37 species expected in an endless number of plots. In order to account for 90 % of the species, 34 localities need to be investigated. Not only should more localities be searched for and studies, but some of those already investigated need to be protected.

An annotated list of Caloplaca species occurring in Bulgaria, mainly the Rhodopes, Black Sea coast, and Pirin Mountains, is provided. Based on our collections, 50 taxa are listed, of which 17 are reported for the first time from the country: Caloplaca adriatica, C. albolutescens, C. cerinella, C. chrysodeta, C. crenulatella, C. erodens, C. flavocitrina, C. aff. furax, C. fuscoatroides, C. hungarica, C. inconnexa var. inconnexa, C. inconnexa var. nesodes, C. marmorata, C. obscurella, C. polycarpa, C. tiroliensis, and C. xerica. C. aff. furax is probably an undescribed taxon resembling the Mediterranean C. furax, but differing in particular characters.

A comparison of two cemeteries in Belgrade, Serbia, has been made in order to show how the different environmental factors affect their lichen diversity. The importance of cemeteries as refugia for lichens and as habitats for lichen recolonisation under ameliorating conditions in urban areas is stressed.

The catalogue of lichenized and lichenicolous fungi of Bulgaria is based mainly on a comprehensive compilation of published data. The lichen mycota as currently known includes 910 taxa (893 species with 6 subspecies, 10 varieties, and 1 forma) of lichenized fungi, 9 species of lichenicolous fungi, and 14 non-lichenized fungi traditionally included in lichenological literature. An index of synonyms based on literature records from Bulgaria is appended. It includes 1625 infrageneric epithets. Eighteen species are reported for Bulgaria for the first time: Adelolecia kolaensis, Anaptychia runcinata, Arthonia calcicola, Bacidina chloroticula, Chaenotheca subroscida, Cladonia klementii, Lecanora saligna, Lecidea swartzioidea, Lepraria rigidula, Lopadium pezizoideum, Nephroma bellum, Opegrapha subelevata, Phaeophyscia endophoenicea, Phlyctis argena, Placopyrenium tatrense, Rinodina mniaraea, R. obnascens, and Tuckermanopsis chlorophylla.

Seven species of lichenized fungi (Bagliettoa parmigerella, Collema callopismum, Dermatocarpon intestiniforme, Opegrapha demutata, O. subelevata, Phaeophyscia hirsuta, and Rinodinella dubyanoides) that are new to the Near East were reported. New localities of 54 other species were recorded. Data on distribution of these species in various regions of the Near East and in the world were given.