Resources for Lichenicolous Fungi

Maybe it is the lingering effects of this Beavis and Butthead clip, but the idea fungi growing on lichens seems inherently alluring. There are some really capable specialists in lichens and lichenicolous fungi on iNaturalist. I am not one of them. In my attempts to improve, some resources have been very helpful.

• Mike Haldeman and Sunia Yang's Lichenicolous Fungi of the Pacific Northwest Database is indespensible, as you can search my host lichen genus or species as well as by parasite genus. Records come up with brief descriptions of the taxa as well as literature.
• Particularly helpful on that site is the listing of publications with keys to lichenicolous fungi by genus. January can be a bit of the doldrums for those who like to get out, but read a paper about all the fungi growing on Cladonia and suddenly a world of hunting and cryptic diversity is opened up.
• The British Lichen Society has a great introductory page with resources on lichenicolous fungi with a particularly enticing visual guide to fungi known from Xanthoria parietina. Granted, these things are half-a-world away, but so little is known about the distribution and diversity of these organisms. Xanthoria parietina is considered a "weed" in our area-- you will find it all over concrete and some trees in coastal areas. Is this weed hosting fungi unique to our region or are its pathogens stalking it around the globe? This thesis by Antonia Fleischhacker linked in the comments below also looks at the X. parietina fungal bouquet.
• iNaturalist has a great Lichenicolous Fungi of the World project that has more than 250 species as well as avid observers and identifiers. User @lumenal has also set up another project, Lichenicolous Fungi, in which you can post your observations even if you can't ID it to species. Just add your observation to this project when uploading.
• For checking collections, the Mycoportal is a central repository of global records for fungi that you can use in tandem with the Lichen Portal to look at the distribution, diversity and taxonomy of these organisms by geographical region. Lichenicolous species are searchable in both systems.

Perhaps more experienced and literate lichenicolous people @eullstrom @ahuereca @toby_spribille can chime in with more print and online resources for lichenicolous fungi in the PNW.

Posted on Ιανουάριος 03, 2023 0656 ΜΜ by rambryum