Lichenochora epifulgens
Key Details
| Taxonomic Groups: | Fungus or lichen > fungus > Lichenicolous fungus |
| Red List Status: | Endangered (Not Relevant) [EN(nr)] |
| D5 Status: | Included in the baseline Red List Index for England (Wilkins, Wilson & Brown, 2022) |
| Section 41 Status: | (not listed) |
| Taxa Included Synonym: | (none) |
| UKSI Recommended Name: | Lichenochora epifulgens |
| UKSI Recommended Authority: | Nav.-Ros. & Cl. Roux |
| UKSI Recommended Qualifier: | (none specified) |
| Red List Citation: | Woods & Coppins, 2012 |
| Notes on taxonomy/listing: | (none) |
Criteria
| Question 1: | Does species need conservation or recovery in England? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | Endangered. In England only known from 3 hectads in SW. |
| Question 2: | Does recovery/ conservation depend on species-specific actions? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | Very small population dependent on its host Fulgensia fulgens which is threatened by vegetation over growth due to the decline of extensive grazing on coastal habitats and trampling damage to the habitat from recreational use (BLS 2024). |
| Question 3: | At a landscape scale, would the species benefit from untargeted habitat management to increase habitat mosaics, structural diversity, or particular successional stages? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | Likely to benefit from landscape scale efforts creating early successional habitat in calcareous dune and coastal limestone habitats. |
Species Assessment
| Current step on the Species Recovery Curve (SRC): | 2. Biological status assessment exists |
| Recovery potential/expectation: | Low - Relict or natural rarity |
| National Monitoring Resource: | Opportunistic - insufficient |
| Species Comments: | Parasitic on Fulgensia fulgens and likely only exists where robust populations of the host occur, and likely to be rarer than the host. As such should be treated as/alongside Fulgensia fulgens conservation. |
Key Actions
Key Action 1
Proposed Action: Produce a species dossier to collate information on current and historic sites, including results of surveys and assessment of threats and remedial actions.
Action targets: 3. National Monitoring Plan agreed and implemented
Action type: Scientific research
Duration: 1 year
Scale of Implementation: ≤ 20 sites
High priority sites: all
Comments: Combine with Key Action 1 under Fulgensia fulgens.
Key Action 2
Proposed Action: As part of Action 2 for Fulgensia fulgens, survey and monitor this parasitic species.
Action targets: 3. National Monitoring Plan agreed and implemented
Action type: Targeted monitoring
Duration: 2 years
Scale of Implementation: ≤ 20 sites
High priority sites: all
Comments: Essential to understand current status, threats and actions to address threats. This will form the basis of any national monitoring plan. Costs may be combined with Fulgensia.
Key Action 3
Proposed Action: Once status and threats understood, determine the key actions required at site-scale and begin engagement with site managers; provide advice and support. Combine with action for Fulgensia fulgens.
Action targets: 5. Remedial action identified
Action type: Advice & support
Duration: 3-5 years
Scale of Implementation: ≤ 20 sites
High priority sites: all
Comments: Also need to identify any national level threats that need to be addressed; and address recognition and management within designated sites where species is not an interest feature.
Acknowledgment:
Data used on this website are adapted from Threatened species recovery actions 2025 baseline (JP065): Technical report and spreadsheet user guide (Natural England, 2025). Available here.