Pyrenula nitidella
Local name: askvårtlav
Pyrenula nitidella is a crustose lichen species that forms thin, smooth, dark-colored crusts on tree bark with characteristic small, black, flask-shaped fruiting bodies (perithecia) that give it a distinctive spotted appearance. This epiphytic lichen plays an important ecological role in forest ecosystems by contributing to biodiversity and serving as a microhabitat for various invertebrates while also participating in nutrient cycling.
Photo: iNaturalist: (c) Jurga Motiejūnaitė, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Jurga Motiejūnaitė
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Fungi
Phylum
Ascomycota
Class
Eurotiomycetes
Order
Pyrenulales
Family
Pyrenulaceae
Genus
Pyrenula
Pyrenula nitidella belongs to the family Pyrenulaceae, order Pyrenulales, within the Eurotiomycetes class.
Species Profile
Pyrenula nitidella is a crustose lichen species that forms thin, smooth, dark-colored crusts on tree bark with characteristic small, black, flask-shaped fruiting bodies (perithecia) that give it a distinctive spotted appearance. This epiphytic lichen plays an important ecological role in forest ecosystems by contributing to biodiversity and serving as a microhabitat for various invertebrates while also participating in nutrient cycling.
Pyrenula nitidella faces severe decline primarily due to air pollution and habitat degradation affecting the old-growth deciduous forests where it occurs. The species is particularly vulnerable to changes in air quality and forest management practices that alter the microclimate conditions required for this specialized lichen.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Pyrenula nitidella grows exclusively on the smooth bark of mature deciduous trees, particularly favoring species like beech, maple, and ash in old-growth and semi-natural forests. The lichen requires stable microclimatic conditions with consistent humidity levels typically found in undisturbed woodland environments.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Endangered
Pyrenula nitidella faces severe decline primarily due to air pollution and habitat degradation affecting the old-growth deciduous forests where it occurs. The species is particularly vulnerable to changes in air quality and forest management practices that alter the microclimate conditions required for this specialized lichen.
Air pollution and atmospheric nitrogen deposition
Loss of old-growth forest habitat
Changes in forest management practices
Climate change affecting microhabitat conditions
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Pyrenula nitidella (Pyrenula nitidella). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/askvartlav