Acarospora socialis (Cracked Lichen)
Credit: Julia Adams
about the species
The lichen Acarospora socialis is the most common yellow Acarospora in southwestern North America and is found across the Sonoran Desert regions of Arizona, southern California, Channel Islands, Baja California, Baja California Sur, and Sonora, but can occur as far north as Oregon and additional areas in North America and Mexico. Lichens are a symbiosis between fungus and photobiont partner, which for A. socialis is a chlorococcoid alga in the genus Trebouxia. The A. socialis thallus upper surface is typically green-yellow to various shades of yellow. It is found on rocky surfaces typically in full sun facing surfaces.
why species was selected
A. socialis is widespread in the Sonoran Desert and is ecologically significant in California. It is most impacted by wildfires, an increasing threat in recent years. Genomic diversity studies will support efforts to understand if individuals geographically dispersed across the state represent continuous or separate interbreeding populations to help define populations for ecological protection.
