| Lichinales | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Lichina pygmaea | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Lichinomycetes V.Reeb, Lutzoni &Cl.Roux (2004) |
| Order: | Lichinales Henssen & Büdel (1986) |
| Families | |
Gloeoheppiaceae | |
Lichinales is the soleorder ofascomycetefungi in the classLichinomycetes. It contains threefamilies:Gloeoheppiaceae (3genera),Lichinaceae (43 genera), andPeltulaceae (1 genus).[1] Most species arelichenized. Lichinales was proposed in 1986 by German lichenologistsAino Henssen and Burkhard Büdel.[2] The class Lichinomycetes was created by Valérie Reeb, François Lutzoni andClaude Roux in 2004.[3]
A study published in late 2022 suggests that sixclasses of fungi,Candelariomycetes,Coniocybomycetes,Geoglossomycetes,Lichinomycetes,Sareomycetes, andXylonomycetes, are all part of aclade that has asister relationship with a clade containingLecanoromycetes andEurotiomycetes. Lichinomycetes is the oldest name among these orders, and so the authors used this name for the group.Phylogenomic analysis of a 481-genome set showed that as a group, the Lichinomycetes have relatively small genomes, and fewermetabolic gene clusters; one consequence of this is an inability to break downcellulose andpectin. Because of this reduced metabolic capability, Lichinomycetes fungi may have adapted to partner symbiotically with other species to compensate for these losses.[4]
The genusTrizodia is currently included in Lichinomycetes based on multi-locus analyses that sampled the Japanese speciesT. silvestris; these data place the genus in the class but leave its order open (sometimes nearVezdaea).[5] A genome-scalephylogenomic study of 1,292 single-copy genes likewise recovered an expanded Lichinomycetes that includes aTrizodia lineage, supporting its class-level placement even though the ordinal rank remainsincertae sedis.[4] Earlier multilocus work offered alternative placements with limited support (e.g., nearCandelariomycetes), so recent treatments retainTrizodia in Lichinomycetes pending denser sampling.[6]