Sphaerellothecium araneosum

Sphaerellothecium araneosum is a species of lichenicolous fungus in the family Phyllachoraceae.^[1]

Sphaerellothecium araneosum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Fungi
Division:	Ascomycota
Class:	Sordariomycetes
Order:	Phyllachorales
Family:	Phyllachoraceae
Genus:	Sphaerellothecium
Species:	S. araneosum
Binomial name
Sphaerellothecium araneosum (Rehm ex Arnold) Zopf (1897)
Synonyms
Discothecium araneosum (Rehm ex Arnold) Vouaux Echinothecium glabrum M.S.Christ., Alstrup & D.Hawksw. Endococcus araneosus (Rehm ex Arnold) H.Olivier Epicymatia araneosa (Rehm ex Arnold) Sacc. Mycosphaerella araneosa (Rehm ex Arnold) Lindau Phaeosphaerella araneosa (Rehm ex Arnold) Sacc. & D.Sacc. Sphaerella araneosa Rehm Sphaerella araneosa Rehm ex Arnold

Distribution

Sphaerellothecium araneosum has been reported from the highlands of Iceland^[2] and the Arctic desert of Severnaya Zemlya in Russia.^[3]

Host species and symptoms

Sphaerellothecium araneosum commonly grows on species of Ochrolechia, such as Ochrolechia frigida^[2] but it also grows on Stereocaulon rivulorum and Stereocaulon vesuvianum, on which it causes no known symptoms.^[3] It is common in Cladonia pocillum and Cladonia symphycarpia, and less common but present in Cladonia coccifera, Cladonia gracilis, Cladonia macroceras, Cladonia pyxidata and Cladonia subcervicornis. The population infecting Cladonia is considered a separate variety from other Sphaerellothecium araneosum.^[4]