Frank Bungartz | Arizona State University (original) (raw)

Papers by Frank Bungartz

Phytotaxa

As part of the Galapagos lichen inventory, species in the genus Lecanora and closely related gene... more As part of the Galapagos lichen inventory, species in the genus Lecanora and closely related genera have been revised, using both historic and recent collections. A total of 34 species are reported of which fourteen are new to science: Lecanora atro-ocellata, L. cactacea, L. cerebriformis, L. cerebrosorediata, L. confusoides, L. darwiniana, L. kalbii, L. malagae, L. ombligulata, L. pyrrhosporoides, L. subaureoides, L. terpenoidea, Protoparmeliopsis ertzii, and Vainionora nugrae. The taxonomy of Lecanora s.l. remains poorly resolved. Based on morphological similarities we assign the species treated here to several informal groups: the largest, with thirteen species, is the Lecanora subfusca-group, i.e., the core of Lecanora s.str. In the archipelago, most species in this group grow on bark but a few occur on rock. Seven species, assigned here to the L. marginata-group, occur exclusively on rock. Two species are included in the L. pallida-group, which may also include L. cactacea. How...

Plant and Fungal Systematics

As part of an ongoing comprehensive inventory of all Galapagos lichens, the genus Parmotrema has ... more As part of an ongoing comprehensive inventory of all Galapagos lichens, the genus Parmotrema has been revised. In Galapagos this genus is represented by thirty-five species, seven described as new to science: Parmotrema cactacearum, P. erectociliatum, P. lawreyi, P. marcellianum, P. pustulotinctum, P. saxoisidiatum and P. weberi. Parmotrema weberi, although previously informally recognized by Mason E. Hale, is now formally described here, the name thus validated. Reports of four species are doubtful or incorrect. Nine species are reported from the Galapagos for the first time, seven of those being also new for Ecuador. Parmotrema cooperi, previously known only from Central America, is now also reported from South America. Detailed descriptions and illustrations are provided for all thirty-five species, together with a dichotomic key for their identification. Diagnostic differences are discussed. If all newly described species are confirmed as endemic to the archipelago, the proporti...

Fungal Diversity

This article is the tenth series of the Fungal Diversity Notes, where 114 taxa distributed in thr... more This article is the tenth series of the Fungal Diversity Notes, where 114 taxa distributed in three phyla, ten classes, 30 orders and 53 families are described and illustrated. Taxa described in the present study include one new family (viz. Pseudoberkleasmiaceae in Dothideomycetes), five new genera (Caatingomyces, Cryptoschizotrema, Neoacladium, Paramassaria and Trochilispora) and 71 new species, (viz.

Bryologist, 2008

... James McCabe, the staff of the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum & Zoo (BAMZ), and the staff o... more ... James McCabe, the staff of the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum & Zoo (BAMZ), and the staff of the Bermuda Department of Conservation Services—especially Anne Glasspool, Wolfgang Sterrer, and Jack Ward—are thanked for their assistance with the ... Egea, JM and P. Torrente. ...

Mycologia, Jan 17, 2015

We present a taxonomic revision of the lichenized basidiomycete genus Acantholichen, species of w... more We present a taxonomic revision of the lichenized basidiomycete genus Acantholichen, species of which produce a characteristic blue-gray, microsquamulose thallus with spiny apical hyphal cells known as acanthohyphidia. Since its discovery, the genus was thought to be monospecific, only including the generic type, A. pannarioides. However a detailed morphological and anatomical study of recently collected specimens from the Galápagos, Costa Rica, Brazil and Colombia, combined with a molecular phylogenetic analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) region and 28S of the nuc rDNA and RPB2 sequences, revealed a much more diverse and widespread species assemblage. Based on the results of these analyses, we describe five new species in the genus: A. albomarginatus, A. campestris, A. galapagoensis, A. sorediatus and A. variabilis. We also provide an identification key to all species, anatomical and morphological descriptions, photographs and a table comparing main charact...

Vasculum". Each new general secretary may model a Consortium Membership Application form after th... more Vasculum". Each new general secretary may model a Consortium Membership Application form after the forms used by the Alabama and South Carolina Consortia. These forms can be obtained from Alvin Diamond,

Verrucaria rubrocincta is an endolithic lichen that inhabits exposed caliche in southwestern Ariz... more Verrucaria rubrocincta is an endolithic lichen that inhabits exposed caliche in southwestern Arizona. It has developed a survival strategy against the high photon fluxes, aridity, and temperature extremes of the Sonoran Desert. The lichen occurs within the surface of caliche plates. Verrucaria rubrocincta -inhabited caliche can be distinguished from uninhabited substrate by the abundance of reddish-black fruiting bodies protruding through

Thirty-one saxicolous species of Buellia s.l. with one-septate ascospores were examined from the ... more Thirty-one saxicolous species of Buellia s.l. with one-septate ascospores were examined from the Greater Sonoran Desert Region. They are distinguished by thallus morphology, exciple anatomy, spore ultrastructure, secondary chemistry, ecology and distribution. As a result, seven new species are described. Other species are reported from the region for the first time and the synonymy of several taxa is resolved. All species are traditionally included within the Physciaceae. Recent molecular evidence suggests that calicioid lichens are closely related to Buellia s.l. A comparison confirms that spore wall ultrastructure is identical in both groups. Iodine staining of the ascus in the light microscope corresponds well with the ascus ultrastructure. This Bacidia-type ascus is variable but common to all species. The prototunicate asci of calicioid Physciaceae may have evolved by reduction from this type. Spore ontogeny of Buellia s.l. is a highly dynamic process. Four stages can be disting...

Chrysothrix galapagoana is described from the Galapagos Islands where it is considered to be ende... more Chrysothrix galapagoana is described from the Galapagos Islands where it is considered to be endemic. It is most similar to the fertile species C. placodioides, described from historical collections from Brazil, but differs in having smaller mature pseudo-areolate granules and in reproducing asexually from granules usually produced on the upper surface of the thallus.

Myriospora westbergii is described from the Galapagos Islands where it is considered to be endemi... more Myriospora westbergii is described from the Galapagos Islands where it is considered to be endemic. It differs from other species of Myriospora by its emergent apothecia with a distinctly elevated thalline margin that increasingly blackens from the inside. The species is most similar in general appearance to M. hassei, a lichenicolous lichen parasitic on Acarospora socialis which occurs along the coast of California. The new species is clearly distinguished from M. hassei by its unusual apothecial anatomy and ontogeny and in having orange pruina occasionally covering the apothecial disc and margin. The epicortex in Acarosporaceae is discussed. Myriospora westbergii is the 28th species of Acarosporaceae we have reported from South America.

ABSTRACT Biodiversity inventories are an essential part of conservation science. Ecologist cannot... more ABSTRACT Biodiversity inventories are an essential part of conservation science. Ecologist cannot afford to ignore poorly known species groups, assuming that understanding the ecology of few emblematic species is sufficient to preserve biodiversity of complex ecosystems. The Galapagos Islands as one of the best studied tropical archipelagos is a prime example of an ecosystem where iconic species historically received much attention but other important groups were neglected. At least in part, this negligence is a result of an increasing alienation of taxonomists and ecologists. Taxonomy, the science of describing species, must again become an integral part of biodiversity research in any ecosystem. As such it cannot be reduced to the elaboration of phylogenies; it has a mandate not only to classify, but also to describe organisms. Even relatively species-poor island ecosystems like the Galapagos are still characterized by an enormous biodiversity. It is not unusual that ecological studies therefore frequently focus on few, better known species. An estimate based on the first attempt to assemble a centralized register of all known Galapagos species suggests that between 17,000 and 42,000 species may inhabit this archipelago, a huge range fraught with methodological challenges. As in most parts of the world vascular plants and vertebrates are best known and continue to receive most attention. Terrestrial and marine invertebrates are much less studied, and fungi continue to be almost entirely neglected. In Galapagos saving many individual, emblematic species has been extremely successful, but an objective approach to conservation of all biodiversity must also account for lesser known species groups. Currently an unrealistic goal to restore pristine ecosystems largely ignores the effects of control and eradication of invasive species on native, often poorly known species. While complete biodiversity inventories may not be realistic, a pragmatic approach to assess restoration must no longer ignore the fact that ecosystems are more complex than their most iconic species. To minimize biodiversity loss and design efficient conservation strategies for entire ecosystems, not only individual species, ecologists and taxonomists have to look beyond the scope of their own disciplines and better integrate their research.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2014

Data deposition: The sequences reported in this paper have been deposited in the Gen-Bank databas... more Data deposition: The sequences reported in this paper have been deposited in the Gen-Bank database (see Table S1 for accession nos.

Phytotaxa, 2013

As part of an ongoing comprehensive inventory of the Galapagos lichen flora, all species in the C... more As part of an ongoing comprehensive inventory of the Galapagos lichen flora, all species in the Cladoniaceae from the archipelago have been revised using both historic and recent collections. A total of twenty-six species is reported here, one species of Cladia and twenty-five Cladonia species. One species, Cladonia bungartzii, is described as new to science; seven are records new to Ecuador and the Galapagos: Cladonia corymbosula, C. polyscypha, C. pulverulenta, C. pyxidata, C. aff. sphacelata, and C. strepsilis. Four species have previously been reported from Ecuador, but are new to Galapagos: C. cartilaginea, C. chlorophaea, C. dactylota, and C. grayi. Eight species previously reported cannot be confirmed here. Detailed descriptions are presented for all species. They include diagnostic characteristics to distinguish similar species. An identification key to all Galapagos Cladoniaceae is provided. A brief discussion highlights the importance of baseline inventories and uses the G...

The number of Fungi is estimated at between 1.5 and 3 million. Lichenized species are thought to ... more The number of Fungi is estimated at between 1.5 and 3 million. Lichenized species are thought to make up a comparatively small portion of this figure, with unrecognized species richness hidden among little-studied, tropical microlichens. Recent findings, however, suggest that some macrolichens contain a large number of unrecognized taxa, increasing known species richness by an order of magnitude or more. Here we report the existence of at least 126 species in what until recently was believed to be a single taxon: the basidiolichen fungus Dictyonema glabratum, also known as Cora pavonia. Notably, these species are not cryptic but morphologically distinct. A predictive model suggests an even larger number, with more than 400 species. These results call into question species concepts in presumably well-known macrolichens and demonstrate the need for accurately documenting such species richness, given the importance of these lichens in endangered ecosystems such as paramos and the alarm...

The Lichenologist, 2004

The anatomy of the endolithic, calcicolous lichen Verrucaria rubrocincta Breuss is described usin... more The anatomy of the endolithic, calcicolous lichen Verrucaria rubrocincta Breuss is described using optical and scanning electron microscopy. This lichen is locally abundant in caliche plates of open desert pavements in the Sonoran Desert of south-western Arizona. The endolithic growth of V. rubrocincta is distinctly layered. The upper layer is a fine-grained calcite (micrite). This layer is sparsely penetrated by hyphae and therefore cannot be interpreted as a lithocortex sensu stricto. Beneath the micrite is the photobiont layer. Below this photobiont layer hyphae form a pseudomedulla penetrating up to 1 cm into the caliche. Calcium oxalates occur in the pseudomedulla but are absent from uninhabited caliche. The analogy of a greenhouse describes the ecophysiological adaptations of this endolithic growth to the environmental extremes of the Sonoran Desert. The micrite acts as a roof and the photobiont layer and pseudomedulla represent the greenhouse interior. Verrucaria rubrocincta ...

Phytotaxa

As part of the Galapagos lichen inventory, species in the genus Lecanora and closely related gene... more As part of the Galapagos lichen inventory, species in the genus Lecanora and closely related genera have been revised, using both historic and recent collections. A total of 34 species are reported of which fourteen are new to science: Lecanora atro-ocellata, L. cactacea, L. cerebriformis, L. cerebrosorediata, L. confusoides, L. darwiniana, L. kalbii, L. malagae, L. ombligulata, L. pyrrhosporoides, L. subaureoides, L. terpenoidea, Protoparmeliopsis ertzii, and Vainionora nugrae. The taxonomy of Lecanora s.l. remains poorly resolved. Based on morphological similarities we assign the species treated here to several informal groups: the largest, with thirteen species, is the Lecanora subfusca-group, i.e., the core of Lecanora s.str. In the archipelago, most species in this group grow on bark but a few occur on rock. Seven species, assigned here to the L. marginata-group, occur exclusively on rock. Two species are included in the L. pallida-group, which may also include L. cactacea. How...

Plant and Fungal Systematics

As part of an ongoing comprehensive inventory of all Galapagos lichens, the genus Parmotrema has ... more As part of an ongoing comprehensive inventory of all Galapagos lichens, the genus Parmotrema has been revised. In Galapagos this genus is represented by thirty-five species, seven described as new to science: Parmotrema cactacearum, P. erectociliatum, P. lawreyi, P. marcellianum, P. pustulotinctum, P. saxoisidiatum and P. weberi. Parmotrema weberi, although previously informally recognized by Mason E. Hale, is now formally described here, the name thus validated. Reports of four species are doubtful or incorrect. Nine species are reported from the Galapagos for the first time, seven of those being also new for Ecuador. Parmotrema cooperi, previously known only from Central America, is now also reported from South America. Detailed descriptions and illustrations are provided for all thirty-five species, together with a dichotomic key for their identification. Diagnostic differences are discussed. If all newly described species are confirmed as endemic to the archipelago, the proporti...

Fungal Diversity

This article is the tenth series of the Fungal Diversity Notes, where 114 taxa distributed in thr... more This article is the tenth series of the Fungal Diversity Notes, where 114 taxa distributed in three phyla, ten classes, 30 orders and 53 families are described and illustrated. Taxa described in the present study include one new family (viz. Pseudoberkleasmiaceae in Dothideomycetes), five new genera (Caatingomyces, Cryptoschizotrema, Neoacladium, Paramassaria and Trochilispora) and 71 new species, (viz.

Bryologist, 2008

... James McCabe, the staff of the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum & Zoo (BAMZ), and the staff o... more ... James McCabe, the staff of the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum & Zoo (BAMZ), and the staff of the Bermuda Department of Conservation Services—especially Anne Glasspool, Wolfgang Sterrer, and Jack Ward—are thanked for their assistance with the ... Egea, JM and P. Torrente. ...

Mycologia, Jan 17, 2015

We present a taxonomic revision of the lichenized basidiomycete genus Acantholichen, species of w... more We present a taxonomic revision of the lichenized basidiomycete genus Acantholichen, species of which produce a characteristic blue-gray, microsquamulose thallus with spiny apical hyphal cells known as acanthohyphidia. Since its discovery, the genus was thought to be monospecific, only including the generic type, A. pannarioides. However a detailed morphological and anatomical study of recently collected specimens from the Galápagos, Costa Rica, Brazil and Colombia, combined with a molecular phylogenetic analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) region and 28S of the nuc rDNA and RPB2 sequences, revealed a much more diverse and widespread species assemblage. Based on the results of these analyses, we describe five new species in the genus: A. albomarginatus, A. campestris, A. galapagoensis, A. sorediatus and A. variabilis. We also provide an identification key to all species, anatomical and morphological descriptions, photographs and a table comparing main charact...

Vasculum". Each new general secretary may model a Consortium Membership Application form after th... more Vasculum". Each new general secretary may model a Consortium Membership Application form after the forms used by the Alabama and South Carolina Consortia. These forms can be obtained from Alvin Diamond,

Verrucaria rubrocincta is an endolithic lichen that inhabits exposed caliche in southwestern Ariz... more Verrucaria rubrocincta is an endolithic lichen that inhabits exposed caliche in southwestern Arizona. It has developed a survival strategy against the high photon fluxes, aridity, and temperature extremes of the Sonoran Desert. The lichen occurs within the surface of caliche plates. Verrucaria rubrocincta -inhabited caliche can be distinguished from uninhabited substrate by the abundance of reddish-black fruiting bodies protruding through

Thirty-one saxicolous species of Buellia s.l. with one-septate ascospores were examined from the ... more Thirty-one saxicolous species of Buellia s.l. with one-septate ascospores were examined from the Greater Sonoran Desert Region. They are distinguished by thallus morphology, exciple anatomy, spore ultrastructure, secondary chemistry, ecology and distribution. As a result, seven new species are described. Other species are reported from the region for the first time and the synonymy of several taxa is resolved. All species are traditionally included within the Physciaceae. Recent molecular evidence suggests that calicioid lichens are closely related to Buellia s.l. A comparison confirms that spore wall ultrastructure is identical in both groups. Iodine staining of the ascus in the light microscope corresponds well with the ascus ultrastructure. This Bacidia-type ascus is variable but common to all species. The prototunicate asci of calicioid Physciaceae may have evolved by reduction from this type. Spore ontogeny of Buellia s.l. is a highly dynamic process. Four stages can be disting...

Chrysothrix galapagoana is described from the Galapagos Islands where it is considered to be ende... more Chrysothrix galapagoana is described from the Galapagos Islands where it is considered to be endemic. It is most similar to the fertile species C. placodioides, described from historical collections from Brazil, but differs in having smaller mature pseudo-areolate granules and in reproducing asexually from granules usually produced on the upper surface of the thallus.

Myriospora westbergii is described from the Galapagos Islands where it is considered to be endemi... more Myriospora westbergii is described from the Galapagos Islands where it is considered to be endemic. It differs from other species of Myriospora by its emergent apothecia with a distinctly elevated thalline margin that increasingly blackens from the inside. The species is most similar in general appearance to M. hassei, a lichenicolous lichen parasitic on Acarospora socialis which occurs along the coast of California. The new species is clearly distinguished from M. hassei by its unusual apothecial anatomy and ontogeny and in having orange pruina occasionally covering the apothecial disc and margin. The epicortex in Acarosporaceae is discussed. Myriospora westbergii is the 28th species of Acarosporaceae we have reported from South America.

ABSTRACT Biodiversity inventories are an essential part of conservation science. Ecologist cannot... more ABSTRACT Biodiversity inventories are an essential part of conservation science. Ecologist cannot afford to ignore poorly known species groups, assuming that understanding the ecology of few emblematic species is sufficient to preserve biodiversity of complex ecosystems. The Galapagos Islands as one of the best studied tropical archipelagos is a prime example of an ecosystem where iconic species historically received much attention but other important groups were neglected. At least in part, this negligence is a result of an increasing alienation of taxonomists and ecologists. Taxonomy, the science of describing species, must again become an integral part of biodiversity research in any ecosystem. As such it cannot be reduced to the elaboration of phylogenies; it has a mandate not only to classify, but also to describe organisms. Even relatively species-poor island ecosystems like the Galapagos are still characterized by an enormous biodiversity. It is not unusual that ecological studies therefore frequently focus on few, better known species. An estimate based on the first attempt to assemble a centralized register of all known Galapagos species suggests that between 17,000 and 42,000 species may inhabit this archipelago, a huge range fraught with methodological challenges. As in most parts of the world vascular plants and vertebrates are best known and continue to receive most attention. Terrestrial and marine invertebrates are much less studied, and fungi continue to be almost entirely neglected. In Galapagos saving many individual, emblematic species has been extremely successful, but an objective approach to conservation of all biodiversity must also account for lesser known species groups. Currently an unrealistic goal to restore pristine ecosystems largely ignores the effects of control and eradication of invasive species on native, often poorly known species. While complete biodiversity inventories may not be realistic, a pragmatic approach to assess restoration must no longer ignore the fact that ecosystems are more complex than their most iconic species. To minimize biodiversity loss and design efficient conservation strategies for entire ecosystems, not only individual species, ecologists and taxonomists have to look beyond the scope of their own disciplines and better integrate their research.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2014

Data deposition: The sequences reported in this paper have been deposited in the Gen-Bank databas... more Data deposition: The sequences reported in this paper have been deposited in the Gen-Bank database (see Table S1 for accession nos.

Phytotaxa, 2013

As part of an ongoing comprehensive inventory of the Galapagos lichen flora, all species in the C... more As part of an ongoing comprehensive inventory of the Galapagos lichen flora, all species in the Cladoniaceae from the archipelago have been revised using both historic and recent collections. A total of twenty-six species is reported here, one species of Cladia and twenty-five Cladonia species. One species, Cladonia bungartzii, is described as new to science; seven are records new to Ecuador and the Galapagos: Cladonia corymbosula, C. polyscypha, C. pulverulenta, C. pyxidata, C. aff. sphacelata, and C. strepsilis. Four species have previously been reported from Ecuador, but are new to Galapagos: C. cartilaginea, C. chlorophaea, C. dactylota, and C. grayi. Eight species previously reported cannot be confirmed here. Detailed descriptions are presented for all species. They include diagnostic characteristics to distinguish similar species. An identification key to all Galapagos Cladoniaceae is provided. A brief discussion highlights the importance of baseline inventories and uses the G...

The number of Fungi is estimated at between 1.5 and 3 million. Lichenized species are thought to ... more The number of Fungi is estimated at between 1.5 and 3 million. Lichenized species are thought to make up a comparatively small portion of this figure, with unrecognized species richness hidden among little-studied, tropical microlichens. Recent findings, however, suggest that some macrolichens contain a large number of unrecognized taxa, increasing known species richness by an order of magnitude or more. Here we report the existence of at least 126 species in what until recently was believed to be a single taxon: the basidiolichen fungus Dictyonema glabratum, also known as Cora pavonia. Notably, these species are not cryptic but morphologically distinct. A predictive model suggests an even larger number, with more than 400 species. These results call into question species concepts in presumably well-known macrolichens and demonstrate the need for accurately documenting such species richness, given the importance of these lichens in endangered ecosystems such as paramos and the alarm...

The Lichenologist, 2004

The anatomy of the endolithic, calcicolous lichen Verrucaria rubrocincta Breuss is described usin... more The anatomy of the endolithic, calcicolous lichen Verrucaria rubrocincta Breuss is described using optical and scanning electron microscopy. This lichen is locally abundant in caliche plates of open desert pavements in the Sonoran Desert of south-western Arizona. The endolithic growth of V. rubrocincta is distinctly layered. The upper layer is a fine-grained calcite (micrite). This layer is sparsely penetrated by hyphae and therefore cannot be interpreted as a lithocortex sensu stricto. Beneath the micrite is the photobiont layer. Below this photobiont layer hyphae form a pseudomedulla penetrating up to 1 cm into the caliche. Calcium oxalates occur in the pseudomedulla but are absent from uninhabited caliche. The analogy of a greenhouse describes the ecophysiological adaptations of this endolithic growth to the environmental extremes of the Sonoran Desert. The micrite acts as a roof and the photobiont layer and pseudomedulla represent the greenhouse interior. Verrucaria rubrocincta ...