Dark Red Disc Lichen
Lecidea erythrophaea
The Dark Red Disc Lichen (Lecidea erythrophaea) is a crustose lichen species characterized by its distinctive dark reddish-brown to blackish apothecia (fruiting bodies) that form small disc-like structures on rock surfaces. This slow-growing lichen forms thin, often inconspicuous crusts on its substrate and plays an important ecological role in primary succession, helping to break down rock surfaces and create soil for other organisms.
Photo: iNaturalist: (c) Tomás Curtis, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Tomás Curtis
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Fungi
Phylum
Ascomycota
Class
Lecanoromycetes
Order
Lecideales
Family
Lecideaceae
Genus
Lecidea
Dark Red Disc Lichen belongs to the family Lecideaceae, order Lecideales, within the Lecanoromycetes class.
Species Profile
The Dark Red Disc Lichen (Lecidea erythrophaea) is a crustose lichen species characterized by its distinctive dark reddish-brown to blackish apothecia (fruiting bodies) that form small disc-like structures on rock surfaces. This slow-growing lichen forms thin, often inconspicuous crusts on its substrate and plays an important ecological role in primary succession, helping to break down rock surfaces and create soil for other organisms.
Dark Red Disc Lichen faces significant threats from air pollution, particularly nitrogen deposition and sulfur compounds, which alter its specialized substrate chemistry and disrupt its slow-growing symbiotic relationship. Climate change poses additional risks through altered precipitation patterns and temperature fluctuations that affect the delicate moisture balance required for this species' survival. Habitat degradation from human activities further compounds these pressures on remaining populations.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Dark Red Disc Lichen typically grows on acidic rock surfaces, particularly siliceous substrates in montane and subalpine environments. It favors exposed to semi-shaded rocky outcrops, cliff faces, and boulder fields in areas with clean air and specific moisture regimes.
Threats
Air pollution and nitrogen deposition
Climate change and altered precipitation patterns
Habitat degradation and fragmentation
Slow recovery rate from disturbances
Substrate chemistry alteration
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). Dark Red Disc Lichen (Lecidea erythrophaea). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/dark-red-disc-lichen