North’s heavy metal loving lichen gets a new name
18 July 2010
Emerging from obscurity, previously unnamed North East wildlife can now enjoy some long-awaited limelight, thanks to a competition to give new English names to neglected species.
A rare lichen found in North East England is one of ten species that now have ‘popular’ names to go with the Latin names they have had to live with to date. Previously only known by its scientific name Peltigera venosa, the beautiful lichen has now been given the common name of Pixie gowns lichen. In Britain, it is found only in upland areas of Northumberland and Scotland and thrives in areas of low nutrition and can grow successfully in the presence of heavy metals. It has been given Red Data List status because of its rarity. In the North East the lichen is found only at sites in Allendale and along the River South Tyne with a history of lead mining. The most impressive physical feature of this fan-shaped lichen is that the main body turns green when wet.
The competition, run by Natural England, invited the public to give popular names to British beetles, bees, jellyfish, shrimps and lichens, all of which are endangered and all of which have until now been listed only in Latin. The newly-named queen’s executioner beetle, sea piglet shrimp and witches’ whiskers lichen, were previously only known as Megapenthes lugens, Arrhis phylonyx and Usnea florida, respectively.
Rob Aubrook, Natural England’s North East Regional Director, said, “During International Year of Biodiversity, this competition set out to inspire the nation, drawing attention to just a few of the declining species that have, until now, been without a common name. As a result, the public have let their imagination run riot to come up with some wonderful naming suggestions to help put these forgotten species on the map.”
The ten newly named species are:
Pixie gowns lichen (Peltigera venosa): A lichen that turns green when wet
Skeetle beetle (Stenus longitarsis): A beetle that escapes predators using natural “jet skis”
Sea piglet shrimp (Arrhis phylonyx): A deep-sea “pseudo shrimp”
Queen’s executioner beetle (Megapenthes lugens): A distinctive “clicking” beetle found only in Windsor Great Park, it feeds on the larvae of other insects
Blue pepper-pot beetle (Cryptocephalus punctiger): A rare leaf beetle whose larvae live in willow leaves
Scabious cuckoo bee (Nomada armata): A “cuckoo bee” that lays its eggs in the nests of other bees
Kaleidoscope jellyfish (Haliclystus auricula): A beautiful stalked jellyfish
St John’s jellyfish (Lucernariopsis cruxmelitensis): A tiny 1cm jellyfish, in the shape of a Maltese cross
Witches’ whiskers lichen (Usnea florida): A lichen with medicinal properties
Mab’s lantern beetle (Philorhizus quadrisignatus): A very rare four spotted ground beetle
George Monbiot, environmental writer and journalist, said “Judging this competition was both a lot of fun and very tough, as the standard was so high. Our winners have not only given us names that are practical and distinctive, they have also captured the beauty, magic and mystery of England’s wildlife. By striking a light in the public imagination, I believe these names will make a major contribution towards conserving these species.”
Rob added: “The continued decline of biodiversity in England is a seriously worrying issue as every species matters - from the newly named pixie gowns lichen to the more familiar hedgehog and red squirrel. Biodiversity is the foundation of our own existence and we cannot afford to take it for granted, which is why we are getting these species out from under the microscope and into the spotlight.”
The competition follows the publication by Natural England of Lost Life - a report that showed that 430 species have become extinct in England in the last 200 years – and the subsequent call by George Monbiot, author and Guardian comment writer, for a competition to enable the public to become more familiar with the species that we are in danger of losing. Unlike trees, grasses and flowers, a lichen is not a single plant but consists of two partners that live together symbiotically – with both benefiting from the partnership. One partner is a fungus and the other is a green alga. Together they form a fascinating organism that come in a dazzling array of colours and shapes. Lichens are useful because they recycle nutrients used by other plants, and provide homes for mini-beasts. An amazing variety of colourful wool dyes are extracted from lichens, and drug companies use lichens to make a range of products from antibiotics to suncreams.
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