Crittendenia is a genus of lichenicolous (lichen-dwelling) fungi in the monogeneric family Crittendeniaceae. The genus was circumscribed in 2021 to contain two species, C. lichenicola, and the type, C. coppinsii. An additional 16 species were added to the genus the following year.[1] The genus name honours British lichenologist Peter Crittenden.[2]

Crittendenia
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Basidiomycota
Class: Agaricostilbomycetes
Order: Agaricostilbales
Family: Crittendeniaceae
Millanes, Diederich & Wedin (2022)
Genus: Crittendenia
Diederich, Millanes, M.Westb., Etayo, J.C.Zamora & Wedin (2021)
Type species
Crittendenia coppinsii
(P.Roberts) Diederich, M.Westb., Millanes & Wedin (2021)

Characteristics of Crittendenia include the tiny synnemata-like basidiomata, clamp connections, and aseptate tubular basidia from which 4–7 spores discharge passively, often in groups.[2] The genus was originally considered to be of uncertain classification in the Agaricostilbomycetes;[3] the family Crittendeniaceae was proposed in 2022 to contain the genus following molecular phylogenetic investigation.[1]

Species edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b Diederich, Paul; Millanes, Ana M.; Etayo, Javier; van den Boom, Pieter P.G.; Wedin, Mats (2022). "Finding the needle in the haystack: a revision of Crittendenia, a surprisingly diverse lichenicolous genus of Agaricostilbomycetes, Pucciniomycotina". The Bryologist. 125 (2): 248–293. doi:10.1639/0007-2745-125.2.248.
  2. ^ a b Millanes, Ana M.; Diederich, Paul; Westberg, Martin; Wedin, Mats (2021). "Crittendenia gen. nov., a new lichenicolous lineage in the Agaricostilbomycetes (Pucciniomycotina), and a review of the biology, phylogeny and classification of lichenicolous heterobasidiomycetes". The Lichenologist. 53 (1): 103–116. doi:10.1017/s002428292000033x. hdl:10115/28130.
  3. ^ Wijayawardene, N.N.; Hyde, K.D.; Dai, D.Q.; Sánchez-García, M.; Goto, B.T.; Saxena, R.K.; et al. (2022). "Outline of Fungi and fungus-like taxa – 2021". Mycosphere. 13 (1): 53–453. doi:10.5943/mycosphere/13/1/2. hdl:10481/76378.