Black shields (Tephromela atra var. atra)

Distribution data supplied by the Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS). To interrogate UK data visit the NBN Atlas.Map Help

Summary

Description

An encrusting lichen forming white, light grey or medium grey patches up to 10 cm across. The thallus surface is smooth, warty or cracked in texture. The fruiting bodies are large, distinct and composed of a black disc surrounded by a thick margin the same colour as the thallus. Fruiting bodies are up to 3mm in diameter and embedded in the thallus but rise to sit on the thallus surface as they mature. Mature fruiting bodies have a flat disc with a thick, crenulate or contorted grey margin.

Recorded distribution in Britain and Ireland

Very common throughout the British Isles.

Global distribution

-

Habitat

Found on well lit siliceous rocks and walls, in and above the splash zone and inland. Rarely found on trees.

Depth range

-

Identifying features

  • Thallus white, light or medium grey.
  • Fruiting bodies with black disc and thick white to grey margin.
  • Fruiting bodies purple-red in cross section.

Additional information

Closely related to species of Lecanora but distinguished by the structure of the reproductive bodies and spores. Similar in appearance to Lecanora gangaleoides, which can be distinguished by the neater fruiting bodies (colourless in cross-section) and chemical tests (see Dobson, 2000).

Listed by

- none -

Further information sources

Search on:

Bibliography

  1. CABI Bioscience, 2000. Index Fungorum Database. [On-line] http://194.131.255.3/cabipages/index.htm, 2002-04-23

  2. Dobson, F.S., 1997. Lichens of Rocky Shores. [Foldout pamphlet]. Shrewsbury: Field Studies Council.

  3. Dobson, F.S., 2000. Lichens: an illustrated guide to the British and Irish species. Slough: The Richmond Publishing Co. Ltd.

  4. Hayward, P., Nelson-Smith, T. & Shields, C. 1996. Collins pocket guide. Sea shore of Britain and northern Europe. London: HarperCollins.

Datasets

  1. Bristol Regional Environmental Records Centre, 2017. BRERC species records within last 15 years. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/vntgox accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-09-25.

  2. British Mycological Society, 2018. Fungal Records Database of Britain and Ireland. Occurrence dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/ietmop accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-09-25.

  3. Cofnod – North Wales Environmental Information Service, 2018. Miscellaneous records held on the Cofnod database. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/hcgqsi accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-09-25.

  4. Environmental Records Information Centre North East, 2018. ERIC NE Combined dataset to 2017. Occurrence dataset: http://www.ericnortheast.org.ukl accessed via NBNAtlas.org on 2018-09-38

  5. Fife Nature Records Centre, 2018. St Andrews BioBlitz 2015. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/xtrbvy accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-09-27.

  6. Fife Nature Records Centre, 2018. St Andrews BioBlitz 2016. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/146yiz accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-09-27.

  7. John Muir Trust, 2017. A Lichen Survey of the Ben Nevis Plateau. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/1qw5ft accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-09-27.

  8. John Muir Trust, 2017. List of Lichen Species recorded on high ground in the Ben Nevis range. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/ebpowr accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-09-27.

  9. Kent & Medway Biological Records Centre, 2017. Lichens: Records for Kent.. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/c9skic accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-01.

  10. Manx Biological Recording Partnership, 2017. Isle of Man wildlife records from 01/01/2000 to 13/02/2017. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/mopwow accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-01.

  11. Manx Biological Recording Partnership, 2018. Isle of Man historical wildlife records 1990 to 1994. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/aru16v accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-01.

  12. National Trust, 2017. National Trust Species Records. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/opc6g1 accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-01.

  13. National Trust, 2018. Wimpole Estate species data held by The National Trust. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/l8oy9m accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-01.

  14. NBN (National Biodiversity Network) Atlas. Available from: https://www.nbnatlas.org.

  15. Norfolk Biodiversity Information Service, 2017. NBIS Records to December 2016. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/jca5lo accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-01.

  16. North East Scotland Biological Records Centre, 2017. NE Scotland fungus and lichen records 1800-2010. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/v6mt0g accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-01.

  17. OBIS (Ocean Biodiversity Information System),  2025. Global map of species distribution using gridded data. Available from: Ocean Biogeographic Information System. www.iobis.org. Accessed: 2025-05-21

  18. Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, 2018. Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh Herbarium (E). Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/ypoair accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-02.

  19. South East Wales Biodiversity Records Centre, 2018. SEWBReC Lichen (South East Wales). Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/pzectv accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-02.

  20. Staffordshire Ecological Record, 2017. SER Species-based Surveys. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/q8qen3 accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-02.

  21. Suffolk Biodiversity Information Service., 2017. Suffolk Biodiversity Information Service (SBIS) Dataset. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/ab4vwo accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-02.

  22. The Wildlife Information Centre, 2018. TWIC - Identification Workshops dataset. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/pplu90 accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-02.

  23. The Wildlife Information Centre, 2018. TWIC Biodiversity Field Trip Data (1995-present). Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/ljc0ke accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-02.

  24. West Wales Biodiversity Information Centre, 2017. WTSWW Data: All Taxa (West Wales). Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/gaakk2 accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-02.

Citation

This review can be cited as:

Tyler-Walters, H., 2002. Tephromela atra var. atra Black shields. In Tyler-Walters H. and Hiscock K. Marine Life Information Network: Biology and Sensitivity Key Information Reviews, [on-line]. Plymouth: Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. [cited 21-05-2025]. Available from: https://www.marlin.ac.uk/species/detail/1797

Last Updated: 10/07/2002