''Caloplaca obamae'' is a species of
crustose lichen in the fungus genus ''
Caloplaca
''Caloplaca'' is a lichen genus comprising a number of distinct species. Members of the genus are commonly called firedot lichen, jewel lichen.Field Guide to California Lichens, Stephen Sharnoff, Yale University Press, 2014, gold lichens, "ora ...
''. It is the first species to be named in honor of
United States President
Barack Obama. ''C. obamae'' was discovered in 2007 by Kerry Knudsen on
Santa Rosa Island in
California and published in March 2009. Knudsen stated that he chose to honor Obama for "his support of science and scientific education" and wrote the manuscript for publication of the species in the time between Obama's election and his inauguration.
[ScienceDaily. 16 April 2009]
New Species Of Lichen Named After President Barack Obama
Accessed online 16 April 2009.[Knudsen, K. 2009]
''Caloplaca obamae'', a new species from Santa Rosa Island, California
''Opuscula Philolichenum'', 6: 37–40.
Description
''Caloplaca obamae'' produces a thin
thallus arranged in orange granules that are 30–50
μm
The micrometre ( international spelling as used by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures; SI symbol: μm) or micrometer (American spelling), also commonly known as a micron, is a unit of length in the International System of Unit ...
in diameter and form patches that can be 0.2–1 mm in diameter, ultimately covering an area on the soil up to 6–7 cm
2. The algal layer is discontinuous and usually 50–100 μm thick under the granule patches. It appears that ''C. obamae'' is sterile and does not produce
ascospores; the
apothecia that were present in specimens may belong to an associated species, ''
Caloplaca ludificans''.
''Caloplaca obamae'' is similar in appearance to ''
Caloplaca xanthostigmoidea
''Caloplaca'' is a lichen genus comprising a number of distinct species. Members of the genus are commonly called firedot lichen, jewel lichen.Field Guide to California Lichens, Stephen Sharnoff, Yale University Press, 2014, gold lichens, "ora ...
''.
Distribution and habitat
''Caloplaca obamae'' is
endemic to the northern side of Santa Rosa Island on clay soils of the
Pleistocene marine terraces. It has not yet been discovered on mainland California,
San Miguel Island, or Sandy Point on Santa Rosa Island. It occurs from Bechers Bay to Soledad Canyon on Santa Rosa in grasslands that have been heavily grazed for over a hundred years. Introduced animal populations are being removed from the island and it has been suggested that ''C. obamae'', which had nearly gone extinct when cattle ranches were active, will make a comeback on the island. It is commonly found growing with other
terricolous lichen A terricolous lichen is a lichen that grows on the soil as a substrate
Substrate may refer to:
Physical layers
*Substrate (biology), the natural environment in which an organism lives, or the surface or medium on which an organism grows or is at ...
species and
bryophytes.
See also
*
List of ''Caloplaca'' species
*
List of things named after Barack Obama
*
List of organisms named after famous people (born 1950–present)
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q983134
obamae
Lichen species
Lichens of the Southwestern United States
Species named after Barack Obama
Lichens described in 2009
Fungi without expected TNC conservation status