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ahtiana lichen

Scientific Name: Ahtiana

Family: Parmeliaceae

Category: Lichen

Growth:

Duration:

Other Names:

       

Ahtiana: A Genus of Lichenized Fungi

The genus Ahtiana comprises lichenized fungi belonging to the family Parmeliaceae. Several species are mentioned, but the taxonomy appears complex and dynamic.

Nomenclature and Taxonomy

  • Scientific Name: Ahtiana Goward
  • Family: Parmeliaceae
  • Kingdom: Fungi
  • Monotypic Genus: Contains the single species Ahtiana sphaerosporella (at least according to one source)
  • Synonyms and Related Taxa:
    • Parmelia sphaerosporella Müll. Arg. (a previous classification for Ahtiana sphaerosporella)
    • Cetraria aurescens Tuck. (related to Ahtiana aurescens)
    • Tuckermannopsis aurescens (Tuck.) Hale. (related to Ahtiana aurescens)

Common Names

  • Ahtiana Lichen (general)
  • Mountain Candlewax Lichen (for Ahtiana sphaerosporella)
  • Eastern Candlewax Lichen (for Ahtiana aurescens)
  • Shaggy-fringe lichen (for Anaptychia palmulata)
  • Candleflame lichen (for Candelaria concolor)

Distribution and Habitat

  • Found in North America, including the Greater Sonoran Desert Region.
  • Observed in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada.
  • Ahtiana sphaerosporella has been found growing on Whitebark Pine (Pinus albicaulis).
  • Ahtiana pallidula has been observed on Pinus bark.
  • Also found in Moorea, French Polynesia, and North Carolina, USA.
  • The Eastern Candlewax Lichen has been found in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec.

Interactions with Other Organisms

  • Ahtiana sphaerosporella has been found growing on Whitebark Pine (Pinus albicaulis).

Quirky Facts

  • One individual named their second daughter after their favorite kind of lichen, Ahtiana, showing an unusual level of appreciation for this genus!
  • The common name "Eastern Candlewax Lichen" for *Ahtiana aurescens* comes from its foliose (leaf-like) structure, which often resembles melted candle wax.

Further Information

  • Greater Sonoran Desert Lichen Flora
  • Ohio Moss and Lichen website (ohiomosslichen.org)
  • ITIS (Integrated Taxonomic Information System)