Fungalpedia – Note 2689, Macroskyttea
Macroskyttea Etayo, Flakus, Suija & Kukwa.
Citation when using this data: Meng QF et al. – Fungalpedia.
Index Fungorum, Faceoffungi, MycoBank, GenBank, Fig 1.
Classification: Cordieritidaceae, Helotiales, Leotiomycetes, Pezizomycotina, Ascomycota, Fungi.
Macroskyttea was introduced by Etayo et al. (2015) to describe the lichenicolous fungus M. parmotrematis, which inhabits the thalli of Parmotrema aberrans and P. ultralucens. Phylogenetic analysis based on three loci (SSU, LSU and ITS) suggests that Macroskyttea belongs to Helotiales and is closely related to Diplolaeviopsis within the Cordieritidaceae clade. To date, this genus remains monotypic, with three sequence datasets available in GenBank.
Characteristic features of Macroskyttea include apothecioid ascomata that develop either dispersedly on the thallus or in groups of 3–4. Initially immersed, the ascomata become superficial to stipitate over time and turn black, with the upper part of the exciple appearing greyish due to the presence of hyaline hairs. The discs are black, initially obscured by the margin when young but widely exposed at maturity. The paraphyses are hyaline, surrounded by a hyaline gel, septate, and not constricted at the septa. The asci are eight-spored, cylindrical to narrowly clavate, with an apically thickened tholus containing a narrow ocular chamber and a characteristic widening at the apex. The ascospores are hyaline, narrowly ellipsoidal to fusiform, sometimes slightly curved, smooth, without a perispore, and typically contain four small oil guttules (Etayo et al. 2015).
Type species: Macroskyttea parmotrematis Etayo, Flakus & Kukwa (Etayo et al. 2015)
Other accepted species: Species Fungorum – search Macroskyttea.
Figure 1 – Macroskyttea parmotrematis redrawn from Etayo et al. (2015). a Ascomata. b Part of section of ascomata. c Asci. d Ascospores. Scale bars: a = 250 μm, b = 25 μm, c = 10 μm, d = 5 μm.
References
Entry by
Meng QF, Center of Excellence in Fungal Research, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai, 57100, Thailand and School of Public Health, Zunyi Medical University, Guizhou 563000, China.
Published online 8 July 2026