{{Short description|Species of lichen}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}} {{Speciesbox | image = | image_caption = | taxon = Calogaya alaskensis | authority = (Wetmore) Arup, Frödén & Søchting (2013) | synonyms_ref = <ref name="Species Fungorum synonymy"/> | synonyms = *''Caloplaca alaskensis'' {{au|Wetmore (2004)}} }}

'''''Calogaya alaskensis''''' is a species of crustose lichen in the family Teloschistaceae. It was first described as new to science in 2004 by Clifford Wetmore, who placed it in the genus ''Caloplaca''.<ref name="CoL"/> Ulf Arup and colleagues transferred the taxon to ''Calogaya'' in 2013 following a molecular phylogenetics-led restructuring of the Teloschistaceae.<ref name="Arup et al. 2013"/>

Native to the high Arctic regions, especially in northern Alaska, this lichen is characterized by its distinctive {{lichengloss|areolate}} thallus that is pale orange in hue. The {{lichengloss|areoles}} are discrete and convex, measuring between 0.1 and 0.5&nbsp;mm in diameter. Soralia, which are orange, originate from the centers of these areoles and eventually occupy them entirely. Although the apothecia are infrequently seen, when present, they are round, flat, and have an orange-colored {{lichengloss|disk}}, with diameters measuring around 0.4&nbsp;μm. Within the asci, there are typically 8 spores, each with two {{lichengloss|locules}} and dimensions of 11.0–14.0 by 7.0&nbsp;μm with an {{lichengloss|isthmus}} of 4.0&nbsp;μm. Distinguishing features of ''Caloplaca alaskensis'' include the particular formation of its soralia and its discrete convex areoles.<ref name="Wetmore 2004"/>

This species, found both on wood, bark, and rock in high Arctic areas, has often been mistaken for other species like ''Solitaria chrysophthalma'' and ''Leproplaca cirrochroa'' due to similarities but can be differentiated by several morphological attributes. Although its primary occurrences are noted in Alaska, it may be more broadly distributed in the high Arctic regions of Canada.<ref name="Wetmore 2004"/>

==References== {{Reflist|refs=

<ref name="Arup et al. 2013">{{cite journal |last1=Arup |first1=Ulf |last2=Søchting |first2=Ulrik |last3=Frödén |first3=Patrik |title=A new taxonomy of the family Teloschistaceae |journal=Nordic Journal of Botany |volume=31 |issue=1 |year=2013 |pages=16–83 |doi=10.1111/j.1756-1051.2013.00062.x|bibcode=2013NorJB..31...16A }}</ref>

<ref name="CoL">{{Catalogue of Life |id=5WVGD |title=''Calogaya alaskensis'' (Wetmore) Arup, Frödén & Søchting |access-date=27 September 2023}}</ref>

<ref name="Species Fungorum synonymy">{{cite web |title=Synonymy. Current Name: ''Calogaya alaskensis'' (Wetmore) Arup, Frödén & Søchting, Nordic Jl Bot. 31(1): 38 (2013) |url=https://www.speciesfungorum.org/Names/SynSpecies.asp?RecordID=802313 |publisher=Species Fungorum |access-date=27 September 2023}}</ref>

<ref name="Wetmore 2004">{{cite journal |last1=Wetmore |first1=Clifford M. |title=The sorediate corticolous species of ''Caloplaca'' in North and Central America |journal=The Bryologist |volume=107 |issue=4 |year=2004 |doi=10.1639/0007-2745(2004)107[505:tscsoc]2.0.co;2 |pages=505–520}}</ref>

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{{Taxonbar|from=Q25412850|from2=Q10440397}}

Category:Teloschistales Category:Lichen species Category:Lichens described in 2004 Category:Lichens of Subarctic America Category:Taxa named by Clifford Wetmore