Aspidothelium
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Aspidothelium | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Lecanoromycetes |
| Order: | Thelenellales |
| Family: | Thelenellaceae |
| Genus: | Aspidothelium Vain. (1890) |
| Type species | |
| Aspidothelium cinerascens Vain. (1890) | |
Aspidothelium is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Thelenellaceae.[1] All species in the genus have a tropical distribution and are crustose with a chlorococcoid photobiont partner. Most Aspidothelium species are foliicolous (leaf-dwelling), although some corticolous (bark-dwelling) species are known, as well as a single saxicolous (rock-dwelling) member.[2]
The genus was circumscribed by Finnish lichenologist Edvard August Vainio in 1890.[3] Historically, it has at times been considered as a synonym of genus Thelenella. Families in which the genus has previously been classified are the Verrucariaceae, Strigulaceae, and the Aspidotheliaceae, a monogeneric family circumscribed especially to contain this genus.[4] Modern molecular phylogenetic analysis has shown its placement in the family Thelenellaceae, allied with the order Ostropales.[2]