Aderkomyces thailandicus Papong, Boonpragob & Lücking
Mycobank MB 517730
Thallus epiphyllous, crustose, verrucose, greenish grey, 10–15 µm thick, with white, long sterile setae 2–2.5 mm long. Apothecia at first immersed-erumpent with thin marginal lobules but finally broadly sessile to adnate, with slightly prominent margin, light grey-brown, sometimes with orange tinge, 0.2–0.5 mm diam. Exipulum composed of radiating hyphae embedded in a gelatinous matrix, colourless, 25–30 µm broad. Hymenium colourless, 35–50 µm high. Paraphyses anastomosing. Asci annelasceous, clavate, colourless, 35–40 x 18–20 µm, tholus I–. Ascospores 2–4 per ascus, colourless, ellipsoid, muriform, 17–22 x 12–14 µm. Secondary chemistry: no substances detected by TLC.
Aderkomyces thailandicus is recognized by its initially immersed-erumpent apothecia (similar to those of several Gyalideopsis species) and its submuriform ascospores, 2–4 per ascus, in combination with the verrucose thallus. No other species of Aderkomyces has a similar combination of characters or comes close to this new taxon. The neotropical A. gomezii Lücking is most similar but has a smooth thallus and much larger ascospores. Aderkomyces thailandicus agrees with several species of Gyalideopsis in the verrucose thallus (Lücking, 2008), but Gyalideopsis always lacks sterile setae.
Referring to the country in which the species was discovered.
Known from several collections in Thai lower montane rainforest; found in the understory in more illuminated situations.
Type:—THAILAND: Chiang Mai Province: Huai Nam Dung National Park, 19°18’N, 98°36’E, 1368 m; lower montane rainforest, forest margin; Feb 2006, Papong 2654 (holotype KKU).
Additional specimens examined (paratypes):—THAILAND. Chiang Mai Province: Huai Nam Dung National Park, Papong 2686 (F), 2692 (KKU), 2694 (KKU); ibid., 1410 m; Papong 2812 (KKU), 2824 (KKU), 2830 (F), 2845 (KKU), 2916 (KKU), 2995 (KKU).
Sicut Aderkomyces gomezii sed thallo verrucoso et ascosporis minoribus differt.