Lichenicolous fungus

A lichenicolous fungus is a parasitic fungus that only lives on lichen as the host.[1] A lichenicolous fungus is not the same as the fungus that is the component of the lichen, which is known as a lichenized fungus.[2] They are most commonly specific to a given fungus as the host, but they also include a wide range of pathogens, saprotrophs, and commensals.[1] It is estimated there are 3000 species of lichenolous fungi.[3] More than 1800 species are already described among the Ascomycota and Basidiomycota.[3] More than 95% of lichenicolous fungi described as of 2003 are ascomycetes, in 7 classes and 19 orders.[1] Although Basidiomyces has less than 5% of lichenicolous lichen species, they represent 4 classes and 8 orders.[3] Many lichenicolous species have yet to be assigned a phylogenetic position as of 2003.[1]

References
  1. Lichenicolous Fungi – Worldwide Checklist George Mason University
  2. Brodo, Irwin; Sharnoff, Sylvia; Sharnoff, Stephen (2001). Lichens of North America. New Haven, Conn. [u.a.]: Yale Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0300082494.
  3. Lichenicolous Fungi: Interactions, Evolution, and Biodiversity, Lawrey, James D.; Diederich, Paul. The Bryologist 106(1), pp. 80 120, 2003,


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