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Federal Protection: No US federal protection

State Protection: No Georgia state protection

Global Rank: GNR

State Rank: SNR

Element Locations Tracked in Biotics: No

SWAP 2015 Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN): No

SWAP 2025 Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN): No

2025 SGCN Priority Tier: None

Element Occurrences (EOs) in Georgia: 0

Habitat Summary for element in Georgia: Mesic forests and swamps

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Description

Brown or green thallus with flat, black, rimless disks; disks sometimes lifted at edges from thallus, and often irregular in shape; MICROSCOPY: muriform to submuriform spores as large as 23 x 10 µm; FIELD ID: the "blot" commas vary subtly in thallus color and blot shape, but can only reliably be told apart by dissection & chemical tests

Similar Species

Arthonia apatetica has 2-celled spores & a chlorococcoid photobiont; A. interveniens has muriform spores as large as 30 x 10 µm; A. mesoleuca has muriform spores as large as 50 x 20 µm and a K-reactive pigment; A. platygraphidae has spores with 11-17 transverse septae separating cells (not muriform)

Related Rare Species

None

Habitat

Mesic forests & swamps; substrates: 27% Acer bark, 24% Quercus & 49% other hardwoods

Life History

Corticolous lichenized fungus; photobiont a species of alga in genus Trentepohlia

Survey Recommendations

None

Range

Mostly Coastal Plain, with a few records in the Southern Blue Ridge

Threats

Unknown

Georgia Conservation Status

Uncommon to fairly common in good habitat

Conservation Management Recommendations

None

References

Brodo, I. M. 2001. Lichens of North America. Yale University Press, New Haven, Conn.

Brodo, I. M. 2016. Keys to lichens of North America: revised and expanded. Yale University Press, New Haven, Conn.

Esslinger, T. L. 2021. A cumulative checklist for the lichen-forming, lichenicolous and allied fungi of the continental United States and Canada. Version 24. Opuscula Philolichenum 20: 100-394.

Harris, R. C. & D. Ladd. 2005. Preliminary draft: Ozark lichens. Unpublished manuscript, New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY.

Lücking, R., F. Seavey, R. S. Common, S. Q. Beeching, O. Breuss, W. R. Buck, L. Crane, M. Hodges, B. P. Hodkinson, E. Lay, J. C. Lendemer, R. T. McMullin, J. A. Mercado-Diaz, M. P. Nelsen, E. Rivas Plata, W. Safranak, W. B. Sanders, H. P. Schaefer Jr., & J. Seavey. 2011. The lichens of Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park, Florida: proceedings from the 18th Tuckerman Workshop. Florida Museum of Natural History Bulletin Vol. 49: 127-186.

Authors of Account

Malcolm Hodges

Date Compiled or Updated

4 March 2022