Fungalpedia – Note 2594, Weddellomyces

 

Weddellomyces D. Hawksw. 

Citation when using this data: Meng QF et al. – Fungalpedia.

Index Fungorum, faceoffungi, MycoBank, GenBank, Fig 1.

Classification: Dacampiaceae, Pleosporales, Pleosporomycetidae, Dothideomycetes, Pezizomycotina, Ascomycota, Fungi

Weddellomyces was established by Hawksworth (1986) to accommodate the type species W. epicallopisma, which grows on various crustose lichens, including Caloplaca, Lecanora, Protoblastenia, Pyrenodesmia, and Variospora. This genus is characterized by black, subglobular perithecioid ascomata with an ostiolar region that opens by irregular fissures and a pseudoparenchymatous excipulum. The hamathecium consists of branched and anastomosed interascal filaments that are not ascendant. The asci are subcylindrical to elongate-clavate, bitunicate, and eight-spored, while the ascospores are ellipsoidal, 3-septate, golden brown, and have a verrucose surface (Navarro-Rosinés et al. 1995b).

Kirk et al. (2001) placed Weddellomyces within Dacampiaceae, a viewpoint later accepted by Lumbsch et al. (2007) and Hyde et al. (2024). However, Diederich (2018a) placed the genus in Dothideomycetes as genera incertae sedis. The phylogenetic position of Weddellomyces remains uncertain and requires further investigation once molecular data become available. Until then, we temporarily follow its placement within Dacampiaceae (Pleosporales) based on morphology.

To date, 12 species are recognized in Weddellomyces, all of which are lichenicolous. Most species grow on crustose lichens, such as Acarospora, Aspicilia, Caloplaca, Lecanora, and Pertusaria, with the exception of Weddellomyces xanthoparmeliae, which grows on the foliose lichen Xanthoparmelia (Calatayud et al. 1998a).

Type species: Weddellomyces epicallopisma (Wedd.) D. Hawksw.

Other accepted species: Species Fungorum – search Weddellomyces

Figure 1 – Weddellomyces epicallopisma redrawn from Navarro-Rosinés et al. (1995b). a Vertical section of perithecium. b Parts of the wall of the perithecium. c Structure of the hymenium. d Asci. e, f Ascospores. Scale bars: a = 200 μm, b, c, e = 10 μm, d = 20 μm, f = 5 μm.

 

References

Calatayud V, Navarro-Rosines P. 1998a – Weddellomyces xanthoparmeliae sp. nov. and additions to the chorology of other species of the genus. Mycotaxon 69, 503–514.

Diederich P, Lawrey JD, Ertz D. 2018a – The 2018 classification and checklist of lichenicolous fungi, with 2000 non-lichenized, obligately lichenicolous taxa. The Bryologist 121 (3), 340–425.

Hawksworth DL, Hafellner J. 1986 – Phaeosporobolus usneae, a new and widespread lichenicolous deuteromycete. Nova Hedwigia 43 (3–4), 525–530.

Lumbsch HT, Huhndorf SM. 2007 – Outline of Ascomycota—2007. Myconet 13, 1–58.

Navarro-Rosinés P, Roux C. 1995b – Le genre Weddellomyces (Dothideales, Dacampiaceae) en Catalogne et en Provence. Mycotaxon 53, 161–187.

Hyde KD, Noorabadi M, Thiyagaraja V, He M et al. 2024 – The 2024 Outline of Fungi and fungus-like taxa. mycosphere 15, 5146–6239.

 

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 11 June 2026

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