Austrostigmidium mastodiae
Austrostigmidium mastodiae Pérez-Ort. & Garrido-Ben., Lichenologist 47(3): 146 (2015)
Index Fungorum number: IF 811128; Facesoffungi number: FoF xxx, Fig. 1
Description: see Pérez-Ortega and Garrido-Benavent (2015)
Material examined: see Pérez-Ortega and Garrido-Benavent (2015)
Fig. 1. Austrostigmidium mastodiae (redrawn from Pérez-Ortega and Garrido-Benavent 2015). a. Mature ascus showing ascospores. b. Ascospores. Scale bars: a, b = 5 µm.
Importance and role
Importance of genus to ecosystem
Species of Austrostigmidium are commensalistic. Austrostigmidium interacts with its host Mastodia tessellate but do not cause any deformations or galls in the host thallus (Hawksworth 1982). Infection by A. mastodiae is not harmful to the host.
Industrial relevance and applications
There are currently no industrial applications of Austrostigmidium.
Quarantine significance
No biocontrol agent has been reported from Austrostigmidium.
Biochemical importance of the genus, chemical diversity or applications
The chemical diversity of Austrostigmidium is unknown. Further studies are needed.
Diversity of the genus
Austrostigmidium comprises only one species known on Mastodia tessellate (Verrucariaceae) in Antarctica. Many more species of Austrostigmidium can be discovered from comprehensive studies.
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