Common Chocolate Chip Lichen
Solorina saccata
Solorina saccata, commonly called chocolate chip lichen, is a lichen growing on calcareous rocks, usually in crevices and always in sheltered conditions. It is found from the mediterranean mountains up to the arctic.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solorina_saccata
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Fungi
Phylum
Ascomycota
Class
Lecanoromycetes
Order
Peltigerales
Family
Peltigeraceae
Genus
Solorina
Common Chocolate Chip Lichen belongs to the family Peltigeraceae, order Peltigerales, within the Lecanoromycetes class.
Species Profile
Solorina saccata, commonly called chocolate chip lichen, is a lichen growing on calcareous rocks, usually in crevices and always in sheltered conditions. It is found from the mediterranean mountains up to the arctic. It differs from other alpine Solorina-species by the four two-cell spores in the asci.
Common Chocolate Chip Lichen (Solorina saccata) faces severe decline primarily due to habitat loss from climate change and atmospheric pollution. This arctic-alpine species is particularly vulnerable to warming temperatures that alter its specialized high-elevation and northern habitat requirements. Air quality degradation from industrial emissions further compromises this sensitive lichen's ability to survive.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
Common Chocolate Chip Lichen (Solorina saccata) faces severe decline primarily due to habitat loss from climate change and atmospheric pollution. This arctic-alpine species is particularly vulnerable to warming temperatures that alter its specialized high-elevation and northern habitat requirements. Air quality degradation from industrial emissions further compromises this sensitive lichen's ability to survive.
Air pollution and atmospheric contamination
Climate change and habitat warming
Changes in precipitation patterns
Habitat fragmentation in alpine environments
Human disturbance in sensitive habitats
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). Common Chocolate Chip Lichen (Solorina saccata). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/common-chocolate-chip-lichen