CRCritically Endangered

liten parasitspik

Sphinctrina leucopoda

Sphinctrina leucopoda is a minute parasitic fungus that forms tiny, dark fruiting bodies on the surfaces of crustose lichens. This specialized parasite appears as small, black, pin-like structures with white stalks, measuring only 0.

01Classification

Taxonomy & Classification

Kingdom

Fungi

Phylum

Ascomycota

Class

Eurotiomycetes

Order

Mycocaliciales

Family

Sphinctrinaceae

Genus

Sphinctrina

liten parasitspik belongs to the family Sphinctrinaceae, order Mycocaliciales, within the Eurotiomycetes class.

02Description

Species Profile

Sphinctrina leucopoda is a minute parasitic fungus that forms tiny, dark fruiting bodies on the surfaces of crustose lichens. This specialized parasite appears as small, black, pin-like structures with white stalks, measuring only 0.2-0.5mm in height. It plays a unique ecological role as an obligate parasite of specific lichen species, contributing to the complex microecosystem dynamics of lichen communities.

Sphinctrina leucopoda, a lichen species, faces severe threats primarily from habitat loss and degradation due to air pollution and climate change. The species is highly sensitive to environmental changes and requires specific substrate conditions that are increasingly rare in its native range.

Key Facts

IUCN StatusCritically Endangered (CR)
GroupFungi
03Habitat

Habitat & Distribution

Sphinctrina leucopoda inhabits the surfaces of crustose lichens growing on the bark of old deciduous trees, particularly in humid, undisturbed forest environments. The species requires very specific microhabitat conditions with stable humidity and minimal air pollution, typically found in ancient woodland sites with continuous forest cover.

TERRESTRIALMajor
04Threats

Threats

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IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered

Sphinctrina leucopoda, a lichen species, faces severe threats primarily from habitat loss and degradation due to air pollution and climate change. The species is highly sensitive to environmental changes and requires specific substrate conditions that are increasingly rare in its native range.

Air pollution and acid rain

HighOngoing

Climate change and altered precipitation patterns

HighOngoing

Loss of suitable host substrates

HighOngoing

Forest management practices

MediumOngoing

Habitat loss from urbanization

MediumOngoing
Community

Community Sightings

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07Sources

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). liten parasitspik (Sphinctrina leucopoda). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/liten-parasitspik

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