''Carbonea austroshetlandica'' is a species of lichenicolous fungus belonging to the family Lecanoraceae. It was discovered in the South Shetland Islands where it grows on ''

Carbonea assentiens ''Carbonea assentiens'' is a species of lichen belonging to the family Lecanoraceae. It is found in Antarctica and in the islands of the subantarctic. It is parasitized by the lichenicolous fungi species '' Carbonea austroshetlandica'' and ' ...

'' but has since been reported from King George Island where it uses '' Rhizocarpon geographicum'' as a host.

Description

''Carbonea austroshetlandica'' has dispersed to aggregated ascomata, which are up to 0.3 mm in diameter, abruptly becoming convex with excluded margin. Hypothecium and exciple are dark brown and the

epihymenium The hymenium is the tissue layer on the hymenophore of a fungal fruiting body where the cells develop into basidia or asci, which produce spores. In some species all of the cells of the hymenium develop into basidia or asci, while in others s ...

is greenish. The

hymenium The hymenium is the tissue layer on the hymenophore of a fungal fruiting body where the cells develop into basidia or asci, which produce spores. In some species all of the cells of the hymenium develop into basidia or asci, while in others some ...

hyaline A hyaline substance is one with a glassy appearance. The word is derived from el, ὑάλινος, translit=hyálinos, lit=transparent, and el, ὕαλος, translit=hýalos, lit=crystal, glass, label=none. Histopathology Hyaline cartilage is ...

, 35–48

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 ...

high and stains blue with KI solution.

Paraphyses Paraphyses are erect sterile filament-like support structures occurring among the reproductive apparatuses of fungi, ferns, bryophytes and some thallophytes. The singular form of the word is paraphysis. In certain fungi, they are part of the fe ...

are branched and anastomosing, slightly enlarged at the apex.

Asci ASCI or Asci may refer to: * Advertising Standards Council of India * Asci, the plural of ascus, in fungal anatomy * Accelerated Strategic Computing Initiative * American Society for Clinical Investigation * Argus Sour Crude Index * Association of ...

are broadly ellipsoid, 28–32 × 15–16 μm. Ascospores hyaline, ellipsoid, simple, 9–10 × 3.5–4.5 μm.

Ecology

''Carbonea austroshetlandica'' is a parasite or saprobe, unlike the similar ''

Carbonea aggregantula ''Carbonea aggregantula'' is a species of lichen belonging to the family Lecanoraceae. It is a lichenicolous fungus, lichenicolous fungi, meaning that it grows on other lichens, but it does not cause disease, unlike the similar ''Carbonea austro ...

'' which is has a symbiotic relationship with its host.

References

Lecanoraceae Lichen species Lichens described in 2018 Lichens of the subantarctic islands {{Lecanorales-stub