Fungalpedia – Note 2612, Taeniolella
Taeniolella S. Hughes.
Citation when using this data: Meng QF et al. – Fungalpedia.
Index Fungorum, Faceoffungi, MycoBank, GenBank, Fig 1.
Classification: Stictographaceae, Asterinales, Dothideomycetes orders incertae sedis, Pezizomycotina, Ascomycota, Fungi.
Taeniolella was established by Hughes (1958) to accommodate the 14 combined species include the type Taeniolella exilis which is combined from Septonema exile. This genus is characterized by septate and branched hyphae with subhyaline or brown color. The conidiophores are simple or sparingly branched at the base and short, septate, brown, dispersed or aggregated into small pustules. The conidia are oval or cylindrical, smooth or verrucose, phragmosporous, 2-multiseptate, brown or dark brown, arranged in simple or branched chains, short or longer in length, with scars at both ends (Hughes 1958).
The polyphyly of this genus have been demonstrated by recent phylogenetic analyses (Ertz et al. 2016). Heuchert et al. (2018) gave a monograph of Taeniolella and 29 lichenicolous species, 16 saprobic species are described in detail and illustrated by drawings, macroscopic photographs, light microscopic and SEM micrographs. The genus encompasses a diverse array of species with varying ecological preferences and habitats, spanning from saprobes to lichenicolous taxa. Morphological distinctions exist between saprobic species, typically featuring pluriseptate conidia in elongated chains, and lichenicolous species, characterized by amero- to phragmosporous conidia, often in short, easily disarticulating chains. However, certain lichenicolous species also form long, firm chains (Heuchert et al. 2018).
Diederich et al. (2024) introduced two new species and two combinations, and conducted a phylogenetic analysis based on LSU which indicated that the lichenicolous Taeniolella species belong to Stictographaceae (Asterinales), while the type species, Taeniolella exilis, was placed in Kirschsteiniotheliaceae (Kirschsteiniotheliales). To date, 66 species are recognized in this genus, 32 of which are lichenicolous, one is facultative lichenicolous.
Type species: Taeniolella exilis (P. Karst.) S. Hughes.
Other accepted species: Species Fungorum – search Taeniolella
Figure 1 – Taeniolella exilis redrawn from Heuchert et al. (2018). a, b Conidiophores arising from hyphae or crust-like stroma. c Conidial chain. d Conidia. e Conidiophores arising from hyphae. f Conidiophores with enteroblastical proliferations with obvious sheath-like wall remnants visible as an irregular collar. Scale bars: a–f = 20 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 16 June 2026