Lichens of Madagascar

Little work has been done on the lichens of Madagascar, so while over 500 species of lichens have been documented, more are expected.[1] Madagascar can be divided into two major habitats that can be associated with lichen distribution. Wet tropical areas of siliceous bedrock make up approximately two-thirds of the country, and are where most of the lichens have been documented. Dry tropical areas of granitic and limestone bedrock make up the other one-third of the country with just over 20 species documented in these habitats.[1] The following table lists the species known from the dry tropical habitats. The majority are corticolous species that grow on the bark of trees or shrubs. A few are saxicolous; species that grow on rocks.

SPECIES | TYPE

|

Canoparmelia quintarigera Aptroot | Corticolous
Clandestinotrema minutum Aptroot | Corticolous
Contrictolumina leucostoma (Müll. Arg.) Lücking & al. | Corticolous
Crespoa inhaminensis (C. W. Dodge) Lendemer & B. P. Hodk. | Corticolous
Dermatiscum thunbergii (Ach.) Nyl. | Saxicolous
Dirina madagascariensis Tehler & al. | Corticolous
Dirinaria complicata D. D. Awasthi | Corticolous
Glyphis scyphulifera (Ach.) Staiger | Corticolous
Isalonactis madagascariensis Ertz. & al. | Corticolous
Lecanora helva Stizenb | Corticolous
Lecanora leprosa Fée | Corticolous
Lecanora subflava Tuck. | Corticolous
Lecanora tropica Zahlbr. | Corticolous
Mycoporum californicum (Zahlbr.) R. C. Harris | Corticolous
Opegrapha varians (Müll. Arg.) Vain. | Corticolous
Roccella africana Vain. | Corticolous
Roccella applanata M. Choisy | Corticolous
Roccella belangeriana D. D. Awasthi | Corticolous
Roccella boryi Delise ex Fée | Corticolous
Roccella linearis (Ach.) Vain. | Corticolous
Roccella montagnei Bél. | Corticolous
Sclerophyton madagascariense Sparrius | Corticolous
Xanthoparmelia subflabellata (J. Steiner) Hale | Saxicolous

While many of the lichens found to date in Madagascar are relatively widespread, tropical species,[1] some are endemic. Isalonactis madagascariensis, for example, is known only from its type locality near Isalo National Park,[2] and new species continue to be found.[1]

## Gallery[edit]

* Lichens at Tsimanampetsotsa National Park, Madagascar

* Lichens at Isalo National Park

* Dermatiscum thunbergii, a lichen on the rocks at Isalo National Park

* lichens growing on the rocks at Isalo National Park, Madagascar

* lichens growing on the rocks at Isalo National Park, Madagascar

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b c d Aptroot, André (2016). "Preliminary checklist of the lichens of Madagascar, with two new thelotremoid Graphidaceae and 131 new records". Willdenowia. 46 (3): 349–366 (2016). doi:10.3372/wi.46.46304.
2. ^ Ertz, D.; Fischer, E.; Killmann, D.; Razafindrahaja, T. & Sérusiaux, E. (2014). "Isalonactis, a new genus of Roccellaceae (Arthoniales), from southern Madagascar". The Lichenologist. 46 (2): 159–167. doi:10.1017/S002428291300090X. S2CID 258994.