Assessment of the lichen diversity from Koundinya wildlife sanctuary, Andhra Pradesh, India

The Present investigation revealed the occurrence of 69 species belonging to 36 genera and 21 families of lichens in Koundinya wildlife sanctuary. Out of which a saxicolous foliose lichen Xanthoparmelia tuberculiformis is reported as a new record to India and 6 species viz. Arthonia collectiva, Arthonia subvelata, Dictyographa varians, Opegrapha astrea, Pyrenula gibberulosa and Verrucaria elaeomelaena are new records to south India. While 6 species viz. Buellia quartziana, Buellia substigmea, Pyxine nilgiriensis, Physcia abuensis, Caloplaca subpoliotera, and Caloplaca tropica are found as endemic to India. The sanctuary also comprises of 10 new distributional records to Andhra Pradesh as well as to the Chittoor district. Among the different growth forms, crustose lichens showed maximum diversity represented by 40 (58%) species followed by 23 (33%) of foliose, 3 (4%) of leprose, 2(3%) of squamulose and single species (2%) of fruticose lichen. The sanctuary showed the maximum diversity of corticolous lichens represented by 47 (64%) species followed by 24 (33%) saxicolous lichens out of these 2 (3%) species were found commonly both on bark and rock substrata. The member of the lichen family Caliciaceae exhibit the maximum diversity represented by 11 (16%) species under 5 genera. Among the 36 genera, Lecanora exhibits the maximum diversity represented by 6 species. The phorophytes, Pongamia pinnata, and Premna tomentosa bears the luxuriant growth of lichens represented by 9 species. Among the 14 different altitude gradients, 17 species each were recorded at the altitudes on 592 and 602 m. Two foliose lichens, Dirinaria applanata and Pyxine petricola var. pallida bear luxuriant growth on both bark (Azadirachta indica, Premna tomentosa, Euphorbia antichoram) and rock. The effort will lay the foundation for future bio-monitoring studies on lichens from this unique habitat of Koundinya wildlife sanctuary and will act as baseline data for Eastern Ghats of India.