{{Short description|Species of lichen}} {{Speciesbox | image = | image_caption = | taxon = Inoderma sorediatum | authority = Ertz, Łubek & Kukwa (2018) }}

'''''Inoderma sorediatum''''' is a species of crustose lichen in the family Arthoniaceae.<ref name="CoL_3PRV5"/> It is only known to occur on the bark of trees in Poland's Białowieża National Park. It is differentiated from other species in genus ''Inoderma'' by the form of its thallus, which is entirely made of powdery, granular soredia (vegetative propagules), as well as by the presence of a unique combination of lichen products.

==Taxonomy==

''Inoderma sorediatum'' was formally described as a new species in 2018 by Damien Ertz, Anna Łubek, and Martin Kukwa. The type specimen was collected by the second and third authors from Białowieża National Park (Białowieża Forest, {{ill|Równina Bielska|pl}}). Molecular phylogenetic analysis established its classification in genus ''Inoderma''. The species epithet alludes to its characteristic sorediate thallus.<ref name="Ertz et al. 2018"/>

==Description==

The crustose thallus of ''Inoderma sorediatum'' is about {{convert|1|–|2|cm|in|abbr=on|1}} in diameter and up to 1&nbsp;mm thick. Fresh individuals are pinkish, but specimens become white or yellowish after storage in a herbarium. The crust is made of soredia, which individually measure 20–35&nbsp;μm in diameter. The photobiont partner of the lichen is trentepohlioid (i.e., filamentous, multicellular green algae from genus ''Trentepohlia''). The algal cells contain an orange pigment that refracts in polarized light. The algal cells are spherical and measure 10––21&nbsp;μm in diameter; they occur either singly or in short chains of 2–6 individuals, with adjacent cells becoming more ellipsoidal or rectangular in shape. ''Inoderma sorediatum'' is a sterile lichen, meaning it does not produce ascomata, nor ascospores. In rare instances, it has been recorded with pycnidia, which measure 170–280&nbsp;μm and have a dark brown wall. The conidia are bacilliform in shape, and measure 3.5–5.0 by 1.1–1.3&nbsp;μm.<ref name="Ertz et al. 2018"/>

The species contains confluentic acid and 2'-O-methylperlatolic acid, which are lichen products that can be detected using thin-layer chromatography. ''Inoderma sorediatum'' is the only member of genus ''Inoderma'' to contain both of these substances.<ref name="Ertz et al. 2018"/>

==Habitat and distribution==

''Inoderma sorediatum'' grows in the deep bark crevices of large trees (both living and dead), usually ''Quercus robur'', but also ''Fraxinus excelsior''. Other lichen species growing in close association include ''Chaenotheca chrysocephala'', ''Chaenothecopsis'' cf. ''savonica'', ''Chrysothrix candelaris'', ''Lepraria'' spp., ''Opegrapha vermicellifera'', and ''Reichlingia leopoldii''. ''Inoderma sorediatum'' is only known to occur at the type locality.<ref name="Ertz et al. 2018"/>

==References== {{Reflist|refs=

<ref name="CoL_3PRV5">{{Catalogue of Life |id=3PRV5 |title=''Inoderma sorediatum'' Ertz, Łubek & Kukwa |access-date=30 July 2024}}</ref>

<ref name="Ertz et al. 2018">{{cite journal |last1=Ertz |first1=Damien |last2=Sanderson |first2=Neil |last3=Łubek |first3=Anna |last4=Kukwa |first4=Martin |title=Two new species of Arthoniaceae from old-growth European forests, ''Arthonia thoriana'' and ''Inoderma sorediatum'', and a new genus for ''Schismatomma niveum'' |journal=The Lichenologist |volume=50 |issue=2 |year=2018 |doi=10.1017/s0024282917000688 |pages=161–172}}</ref>

}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q112241901}}

Category:Arthoniaceae Category:Lichen species Category:Lichens described in 2018 Category:Lichens of Europe Category:Taxa named by Damien Ertz Category:Taxa named by Martin Kukwa