Nyungwea pycnidiata
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| Nyungwea pycnidiata | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Arthoniomycetes |
| Order: | Arthoniales |
| Family: | Opegraphaceae |
| Genus: | Nyungwea |
| Species: | N. pycnidiata |
| Binomial name | |
| Nyungwea pycnidiata Aptroot & M.Cáceres (2017) | |
Nyungwea pycnidiata is a rare species of lichen in the family Opegraphaceae.[1] Found in the North Region of Brazil, it was described as a new species in 2017. It is unique for its adaptation to living on termite nests.
The species was first scientifically described by lichenologists André Aptroot and Marcela Cáceres in 2015, from a specimen they collected from the Ecotel garden in Fazendinha, (municipality of Macapá, state of Amapá, Brazil). The lichen was found on a termite nest on a tree in the garden. Aptroot and Cáceres named the species pycnidiata, referring to the distinctive pycnidia (asexual reproductive structures) of the lichen. This species belongs to the genus Nyungwea, and its identification was aided by DNA sequencing, which showed a close association with the type species, Nyungwea pallida, found in Africa.[2]