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crater lichen

Scientific Name: Diploschistes aeneus

Family: Thelotremataceae

Category: Lichen

Growth: Lichenous

Duration:

Other Names:

       

Crater Lichen: An Overview

The term "Crater Lichen" refers to several species within the genus Diploschistes. This lichen boasts a global distribution and a distinctive appearance.

Considerations for Pets

  • Crater Lichen has a thick, cracked body (thallus).

Nomenclature and Taxonomy

  • Scientific Name: Diploschistes (genus)
  • Common Name: Crater Lichen, Cowpie Lichen (for Diploschistes muscorum ssp. muscorum)
  • Rank: Genus
  • Family: Thelotremataceae
  • Order: Graphidales
  • Synonyms:
    • Urceolaria scruposa (for Diploschistes scruposus)
    • Diploschistes bryophilus (for Diploschistes muscorum ssp. muscorum)
    • Diploschistes canadensis (for Diploschistes muscorum ssp. muscorum)

Distribution and Habitat

  • Found worldwide.
  • Frequently observed on rocks, especially near volcanic areas like Panum Crater (Mono Lake, California) and Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument (Flagstaff).
  • Specific locations mentioned include Crater Lake National Park, Mount Chocorua, and the Sonoran Desert region.
  • Can be found on compacted sandy soils within Baccharis pilularis shrubland.

Morphological Characteristics

  • Characterized as a crustose lichen with a thick, cracked (areolate) body (thallus).

Ecology

  • Lichens, in general, can be the dominant form of vegetation in some environments.
  • They can be among the first organisms to return to disturbed areas, such as lava flows.
  • Caribou are known to dig for lichens in snow craters.

Species Examples

  • Diploschistes scruposus
  • Diploschistes muscorum ssp. muscorum
  • Diploschistes gypsaceus
  • Diploschistes diacapsis

Further Resources

  • ARKive (for photos and facts)
  • EOL (Encyclopedia of Life) Taxon Page
  • Lichen Flora of the Greater Sonoran Desert Region (Arizona State University, Tempe)
  • Catalogue of Life: 2012 Annual Checklist
  • NPLichen: A Database of Lichens in the U.S. National Parks
  • Wikimedia Commons (for images)