Lecanora austrae-frigidae

About

Lecanora austrae-frigidae is a rare species of lignicolous (wood-dwelling) and crustose lichen in the family Lecanoraceae. Found in Antarctica, it was formally described as a new species in 2009 by Norwegian lichenologist Dag Øvstedal. The type specimen was collected from Deception Island. Here it was found growing on the imported timber of a decrepit whaling station. The lichen has a pale yellow-green, crustose thallus up to 2–3 cm (0.8–1.2 in) wide and up to 0.3 mm thick. The apothecia start out immersed in the thallus, but later become sessile; they are up to 0.7 mm wide with a flat, orange-brown disc. No mature ascospores were detected in the type specimen. Several lichen products are found in Lecanora austrae-frigidae: arthothelin is a major metabolite, while minor compounds include atranorin, lichexanthone, and several chlorinated derivatives of both lichexanthone and norlichexanthone.

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