Wart lichen
CR

Wart lichen

Pyrenula occidentalis

Unknown

Photo: iNaturalist: (c) jcrivenaes, all rights reserved

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

Pyrenula occidentalis is a bark-dwelling crustose lichen restricted to old-growth and mature broadleaf forest patches, making it highly sensitive to logging and land conversion that removes the specific host trees it colonizes. Fragmentation of remaining forest stands isolates populations and reduces the humid, stable microclimate this species requires for spore dispersal and establishment. Air pollution, particularly nitrogen deposition and sulfur dioxide from nearby agricultural and urban development, further degrades bark chemistry and epiphyte communities on which this lichen depends.

Threat summary

Habitat

This species grows on the smooth bark of trees in humid lowland and submontane broadleaf forests, typically within long-undisturbed stands that maintain stable moisture and light conditions.

TERRESTRIAL· major

Other threatened species in Pyrenulaceae

Pyrenula macrosporaEN

Pyrenula macrospora

Unknown
Pyrenula nitidellaEN

Pyrenula nitidella

Unknown
Pyrenula nitidaEN

Pyrenula nitida

Unknown
CR

Pyrenula coryli

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Wart lichen classified as Critically Endangered?
Wart lichen is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Pyrenula occidentalis is a bark-dwelling crustose lichen restricted to old-growth and mature broadleaf forest patches, making it highly sensitive to logging and land conversion that removes the specific host trees it colonizes. Fragmentation of remaining forest stands isolates populations and reduces the humid, stable microclimate this species requires for spore dispersal and establishment. Air pollution, particularly nitrogen deposition and sulfur dioxide from nearby agricultural and urban development, further degrades bark chemistry and epiphyte communities on which this lichen depends.
Where does Wart lichen live?
Wart lichen occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Wart lichen?
The main threats to Wart lichen are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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