Pseudocyphellaria
| Pseudocyphellaria | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Pseudocyphellaria anthraspis on Vancouver Island, Canada | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Lecanoromycetes |
| Order: | Peltigerales |
| Family: | Lobariaceae |
| Genus: |
Pseudocyphellaria Vain. |
| Species | |
|
many, including: |
|
many, including:
Pseudocyphellaria anomala
Pseudocyphellaria anthraspis
Pseudocyphellaria aurata
Pseudocyphellaria crocata
Pseudocyphellaria rainierensis
Pseudocyphellaria is a genus of large, leafy lichens that are sometimes referred to as "specklebelly" lichens. The genus has a widespread distribution, especially in south temperate regions, and contains about 170 species. They resemble Lobaria, except that all species of Pseudocyphellaria have conspicuous pseudocyphellae on their lower surface, a characteristic that is unique to this genus. Some species contain pulvinic acid-related pigments; in these species the soredia and pseudocyphellae can be bright yellow.
Many species of Pseudocyphellaria are cyanolichens and contain the cyanobacterium as a photobiont, which allows nitrogen fixation. In some species of Pseudocyphellaria the cyanobacterium is the sole photobiont, while other species also contain the green alga Dictyochloropsis and restrict the cyanobacterium to warty cephalodia on the lower surface of the lichen.
Some species of Pseudocyphellaria appear to be able to use either a cyanobacterium or a green algae as their photobiont. DNA tests have shown that the fungal symbionts in P. murrayi (which is in a symbiosis with a cyanobacterium) and P. rufovirescens (which is in a symbiosis with a green alga) are actually the same species. This means that P. murrayi-P. rufovirescens is actually one species of fungus that is capable of forming two very different lichens, one with a cyanobacterium and one with a green alga. Two other possible pairs of Pseudocellaria species that may be capable of choosing their photobiont are P. knightii-P. lividofusca, and P. kookeri-P. durietzii.
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