Bacterial epibionts and endolichenic actinobacteria and fungi in the Lower Devonian lichen Chlorolichenomycites salopensis.
The charcoalified fragment of the dorsiventrally organized, internally stratified presumed green algal lichen Chlorolichenomycites salopensis from the Lower Devonian Lochkovian strata in the Welsh Borderland carries bacterial colonies on the upper surface, i.e. the cortex, and actinobacterial filaments in the medulla underneath the photobiont layer. Moreover relatively thin hyphae of presumed endolichenic fungi were found. As in extant lichens, which are best regarded as consortia with an unknown number of participants, this internally stratified, fossil thallus fragment of a presumed green algal lichen harbours a diverse microbial community.
Institute of Plant Biology, University of Zürich, Zollikerstrasse 107, CH-8008 Zürich, Switzerland. rohonegg@botinst.uzh.ch
Rosmarie
R
Honegger
Lindsey
L
Axe
Dianne
D
Edwards
D039903:Actinobacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D044822:Biodiversity; D000460:Chlorophyta / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005580:Fossils; D005658:Fungi / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008011:Lichens / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013559:Symbiosis
Bacterial film; Charcoalification; Lichen symbiosis; Lochkovian strata; Palaeomicrobiology