Arthoniaceae
The Arthoniaceae are a family of lichenized, lichenicolous and saprobic fungi in the order Arthoniales.[1] The Arthoniaceae is the largest family of Arthoniales, with around 800 species.[2] Most species in Arthoniaceae belong in Arthonia which is the largest genus with 500 species.[3] The second and third largest genus is Arthothelium with 80 species, and Cryptothecia with 60 species.[4]
Arthonia is the type genus of Arthoniaceae, and it is known to be a polyphyletic and paraphyletic genus.[5] The process of splitting Arthonia into monophyletic groups is an ongoing process. In order to make Arthonia monophyletic, several genera have been described or resurrected.[6]
The species in Arthoniaceae have a worldwide distribution, but are especially prevalent in tropical areas with a Mediterranean climate.[1] They are known from arctic to tropical latitudes, as well as variating altitudes from sea level to alpine regions, distributed in both humid forests and dry habitats.[6]
Collectively, the family have a highly variable ecology with lichenized, lichenicolous and saprobic fungi.[1] The majority of species are lichenized with a photobiont from Trentepohliaceae and a few species in Arthonia are lichenized with a photobiont from Chlorococcaleae. They grow on leaves, bark, bryophytes, and rocks.[7] Other species are lichenicolous (growing on other lichens), and a few species are known to be saprobic.[4]
As of March 2021[update], Species Fungorum accepts 25 genera and 392 species in the family Arthoniaceae.[8] This is a list of the genera in the Arthoniaceae based on a 2020 review and summary of fungal classification by Wijayawardene and colleagues.[9] Following the genus name is the taxonomic authority (those who first circumscribed the genus; standardized author abbreviations are used), year of publication, and the number of species:
