Verrucoccum coppinsii
Anamorph: conidiomata pycnidia, 150–210 µm diam., black, remaining dark when wet. Peridium composed of 1–3 layers of dark irregularly flattened angular cells, with an inner layer of hyaline cells. Conidiophores absent. Conidiogenous cells lining the conidiomatal cavity, 6–8.5 x 7–7.5 µm, shortly ampulliform, apparently not proliferating. Conidia (11–) 11.5–14 (–15) × (5–) 6–8.5 (–9) µm, ellipsoidal, truncate at the base, aseptate, smooth-walled, becoming dark brown.
Teleomorph: stromata absent. Ascomata perithecia, 175–225 µm diam., usually in large clusters and often tightly packed and confluent, subglobose, immersed to superficial and almost sessile, dark brown to black, reddish brown when moist, rugose to moriform, covered by shortly spiny granular warts. Ostiole 25–50 µm diam. Peridium 65–75 µm thick in exposed parts, 37–45 µm in immersed parts, composed of several layers of irregularly flattened angular cells, the outer layers pale to dark brown and very thick-walled and the inner layers hyaline. Interascal tissue of persistent septate branched and anastomosed pseudoparaphyses 2–2.5 µm diam., not swollen at the apices, interascal gel I–, K/I–. Asci 75–145 x 13.5–20 µm, ± cylindrical to cylindric-clavate, short-stalked, fissitunicate, apical beak distinct, short, contents not staining in iodine, (4–) 6–8-spored. Ascospores uniseriately or partially biseriately arranged, (12.5–) 17–23 (–25) × (5–) 7–8 (–8.5) μm, soleiform, the ends rounded, the upper cell slightly broader, often constricted at the septum, becoming golden to reddish brown, striate when mature, without a perispore or appendages.
Description adapted from Atienza et al. (2021).
Not formally assessed. Known from seven collections made between 2003 and 2021, possibly overlooked though the host lichen is conspicuous and of conservation interest. Perhaps an assessment as Data Deficient would be appropriate.
No sequences are available, and it has been suggested that neither Polycoccum nor Endococcus provide an appropriate generic placement. There is some doubt as to whether GB&I material is conspecific with collections from Alaska (these parasitize Lobaria apothecia, not the thallus as in British collections). The species was originally described from Central America and no recent collections are available from that region.
In GB&I, forming colonies in living thalli of Lobaria pulmonaria.
In GB&I, reported from VC98 Argyll, VC101 Kintyre, VC105 W Ross and Lewis (VC110 Outer Hebrides).