''Chrysothrix tchupalensis'' is a little-known species of saxicolous (rock-dwelling), powdery lichen in the family

Chrysotrichaceae Chrysotrichaceae is a family of lichenized fungi in the order Arthoniales. Member of this family have a widespread distribution, but are especially prevalent in tropical areas. "Chrysothrichaceae" and "Chrysothricaceae" are alternative spellings ...

. It occurs in north

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

, Australia. The lichen forms a powdery, bright yellow

thallus Thallus (plural: thalli), from Latinized Greek (), meaning "a green shoot" or "twig", is the vegetative tissue of some organisms in diverse groups such as algae, fungi, some liverworts, lichens, and the Myxogastria. Many of these organisms wer ...

that grows on sheltered, humid rocks in a

tropical rainforest Tropical rainforests are rainforests that occur in areas of tropical rainforest climate in which there is no dry season – all months have an average precipitation of at least 60 mm – and may also be referred to as ''lowland equatori ...

environment.

Taxonomy

''Chrysothrix tchupalensis'' was formally described as a new species in 2006 by the lichenologists John Alan Elix and

Gintaras Kantvilas Gintaras Kantvilas (born 1956) is an Australian lichenologist, who earned his Ph.D in 1985 from the University of Tasmania with a thesis entitled ''Studies on Tasmanian rainforest lichens''. He has authored over 432 species names, and 167 gener ...

. The

type specimen In biology, a type is a particular wiktionary:en:specimen, specimen (or in some cases a group of specimens) of an organism to which the scientific name of that organism is formally attached. In other words, a type is an example that serves to a ...

was collected in Wooroonooran National Park,

Tchupala Falls The Tchupala Falls, a segmented waterfall on the Henrietta Creek, is located in the UNESCO World Heritagelisted Wet Tropics in the Far North region of Queensland, Australia. Location and features The Tchupala Falls are situated in the Palmers ...

, Australia. The

specific epithet In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

''tchupalensis'' refers to the type locality.

Description

This lichen has a crustose and leprose (powdery), bright lemon yellow

. ''Chrysothrix tchupalensis'' is very loosely , and forms small, irregularly roundish, convex cushions 0.5–1 cm wide, eventually coalescing into patches up to wide. The soredia are , with individual granules measuring 60–160

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 ...

wide. Its is , spherical, and measures 10–18 μm wide. The is pale grey-white to black. Apothecia and pycnidia have not been observed to occur in this species. On standard chemical spot tests, the thallus of ''Chrysothrix tchupalensis'' tests K−, C−, KC−, and PD−. It contains leprapinic acid as a major secondary metabolite ( lichen product) and 4,5-dichlorolichexanthone as a minor component. ''Chrysothrix tchupalensis'' is similar to '' Chrysothrix granularis'' but is distinguished by its thallus being loosely adnate, having larger , and containing leprapinic acid.

Habitat and distribution

At the time of its original publication, ''Chrysothrix tchupalensis'' was known only from its type locality in north Queensland, Australia. It grows on sheltered, humid rocks in

environments. It co-occurs with ''

Porina crassa ''Porina'' is a genus of lichens in the family Trichotheliaceae. A 2020 estimate places about 145 species in the widespread genus. Species *''Porina abrupta'' *''Porina adflata'' *''Porina africana'' *''Porina ahlesiana'' *''Porina alba'' ...

'' and ''

Sagenidiopsis subconfluentica ''Sagenidiopsis'' is a genus of lichens in the family Arthoniaceae. It was circumscribed in 1987 by lichenologists Roderick Rogers and Josef Hafellner to contain the type species '' S. merrotsii'', found in Australia. The characteristic feat ...

''.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q10452311 tchupalensis Lichen species Lichens described in 2006 Lichens of Australia Taxa named by John Alan Elix Taxa named by Gintaras Kantvilas