Fungalpedia – Note 2638, Sagediopsis
Sagediopsis Sacc. ex Vainio.
Citation when using this data: Meng QF et al. – Fungalpedia.
Index Fungorum, Faceoffungi, MycoBank, GenBank.
Classification: Adelococcaceae, Verrucariales, Chaetothyriomycetidae, Eurotiomycetes, Pezizomycotina, Ascomycota, Fungi.
= Metasphaeria subgen. Sagediopsis Sacc. & D. Sacc., Syll. fung. (Abellini) 17: 705 (1905).
The genus name Sagediopsis was originally introduced by Saccardo (1905) as a subgenus of Metasphaeria Sacc. to accommodate seven lichenicolous pyrenomycetes, six of which were transferred to other genera. Vainio (1921) elevated it to genus status with the species Sagediopsis tartarina, which had been transferred from Verrucaria tartarina Nyl. This species was later reclassified as S. campsteriana by Alstrup et al. (1990). Sagediopsis koerberi was designated as the type species by Clements et al. (1931), which was initially described as Leptosphceria koerberi by Stein in Cohn (1879) and subsequently transferred to Metasphaeria koerberi by Schrot in Sacc. (1905). However, this species is not listed in MycoBank (2025), and Catocarpus koerberi Stein was mistakenly recorded as its basionym in Index Fungorum (2025), this error may have occurred as both species were introduced in the same publication.
This genus is characterized by dark brown, perithecioid ascomata with a distinctive pseudoparenchymatous ascomatal wall structure. It features somewhat distinct paraphysoids, along with numerous periphysoids and periphyses. The asci are clavate, thick-walled, 8-spored, and of the Verrucaria type. The ascospores vary significantly in shape and septation. According to Vainio (1921), the spores are colorless, oblong or fusiform-oblong, eventually becoming 3- or more septate, with non-lenticular cells. Sagediopsis was initially placed within Sphaeriaceae (Sphaeriales) by Clements et al. (1931). Matzer et al. (1990) expanded the concept of the Verrucariales by including the lichenicolous genus Adelococcus Theissen & Sydow, characterized by more or less persistent interascal filaments, within this order. Given its close relationship to Adelococcus, Sagediopsis is also considered part of the Verrucariales (Triebel 1993).
After the genus was established, Triebel (1989) transferred two species: S. aquatica from Gongylia aquatica Stein and S. barbara from Segestria barbara Th. Fr. Subsequently, three species were transferred from other genera, and six new species were introduced. The genus comprises 12 species, all of which are lichenicolous, primarily growing on crustose lichens such as Acarospora, Aspicilia, Ionaspis, Koerberiella, Ochrolechia, Paraporpidia, Pertusaria, Porpidia, and Rhizocarpon.
Type species: Sagediopsis koerberi (Stein) Clem. & Shear.
= Leptorhaphis koerberi Stein.
Other accepted species: Species Fungorum – search Sagediopsis.
References
Clements FE, Shear CL 1931 – The Genera of Fungi. Edn 2. Wilson, New York, 1–496.
Cohn. 1879a – Schlesischen Gesellschaft für vaterländische Cultur Kryptogamen-Flora von Schlesien 2 (2), 211.
Matzer M, Hafellner J 1990 – Eine Revision der lichenicolen Arten der Sammelgattung Rosellinia (Ascomycetes). J. Cramer, 37, 1–138.
Saccardo PA, Saccardo D. 1905 – Supplementum universale. Pars VI. Hymenomycetae-Laboulbeniomycetae. Sylloge Fungorum 17, 1–991.
Triebel D. 1989 – Lecideicole Ascomyceten. Eine Revision der obligat lichenicolen Ascomyceten auf lecideoiden Flechten. Bibliotheca Lichenologica 35, 1–278.
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 25 June 2026