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Verrucaria ahtii is a species of saxicolous (rock-dwelling) crustose lichen in the family Verrucariaceae. It is found in Finland, Lithuania, Russia, and Switzerland, where it occurs on calcareous pebbles.
| Verrucaria ahtii | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Eurotiomycetes |
| Order: | Verrucariales |
| Family: | Verrucariaceae |
| Genus: | Verrucaria |
| Species: | V. ahtii |
| Binomial name | |
| Verrucaria ahtii Pykälä, Launis & Myllys (2017) | |
The lichen was formally described as a new species in 2017 by Juha Pykälä, Annina Launis, and Leena Myllys. The type specimen was collected by the first author in Lohja (Southwest Finland) on a high road bank northwest of a lime processing factory; there it was found growing on a pebbles that may have been enriched by calcium-rich dust. The species epithet honours Finnish lichenologist Teuvo Ahti, "for his major contributions to lichenology".[1] The type specimen is kept in the collections of the mycological herbaria of the Botanical Museum of the Finnish Museum of Natural History.[2]
Molecular phylogenetic analysis of DNA sequences from the internal transcribed spacer regions shows that Verrucaria ahtii is closely related to V. vitikainenii.[1]
The crust-like thallus Verrucaria ahtii is usually from medium brown to dark grey (rarely, it is grey), and has a flake-like consistency. It has a medium- to dark-brown prothallus that is often inconspicuous. The perithecia are partly immersed in the thallus, measure 0.15–0.32 mm in diameter, and have a dark, flat, inconspicuous ostiole (pore). The exciple (the ring-shaped tissue layer surrounding the hymenium) measures 0.16–0.32 mm and has a dark brown wall about 13–18 μm thick. Algal cells are 5–11 μm wide. Ascospores are 20.6–25.5 by 10.2–12.4 μm and lack a perispore (a colorless, often gelatinous enveloping layer).[1]
Verrucaria ahtii grows on calcareous pebbles, and on siliceous pebbles that have been enriched with calcareous dust. It prefers sunny habitats, and has been recorded from south-facing rock walls in lime quarries. The lichen was originally known to occur in Finland, Lithuania, and Russia.[1] In 2018, it was recorded from Switzerland, where it was found growing on calcareous plaster on a humid and shaded wall.[3] The Lithuanian and Russian collections were incorrectly reported as Verrucaria invenusta.[1]
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