Common Freckle Pelt Lichen vs Matt Felt Lichen

Peltigera aphthosa compared with Peltigera malacea

Key Differences

• Common Freckle Pelt Lichen is Extinct while Matt Felt Lichen is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Freckle Pelt Lichen	Matt Felt Lichen
Kingdom same	Fungi (Fungi)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum same	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)
Class same	Lecanoromycetes (Lecanoromycetes)	Lecanoromycetes (Lecanoromycetes)
Order same	Peltigerales (Peltigerales)	Peltigerales (Peltigerales)
Family same	Peltigeraceae	Peltigeraceae
Genus same	Peltigera	Peltigera
Species	Peltigera aphthosa	Peltigera malacea

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Freckle Pelt Lichen and Matt Felt Lichen share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Peltigera.

Conservation Status

Common Freckle Pelt Lichen

EX — Extinct

Matt Felt Lichen

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Freckle Pelt Lichen	Matt Felt Lichen
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Freckle Pelt Lichen

Habitat

Native to Europe and North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and United States.

Matt Felt Lichen

Habitat

Native to Europe and North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and United States. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Common Freckle Pelt Lichen

<em>Peltigera aphthosa</em> is a foliose lichen in the family Peltigeraceae, order Peltigerales, commonly known as common freckle pelt or speckled felt lichen. This species holds the conservation status of Extinct on the IUCN Red List, representing a serious loss of biodiversity. <em>Peltigera aphthosa</em> has been recorded in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and the United States. Historically, this lichen grew in cool, humid environments including boreal and montane forests, typically on mossy ground, rocks, and tree bases in old-growth habitats. Like other members of the genus Peltigera, <em>Peltigera aphthosa</em> is a tripartite lichen containing a cyanobacterial photobiont (providing nitrogen fixation) in addition to the primary green algal photobiont and fungal mycobiont, making it an ecologically significant contributor to nutrient cycling. Its large, lobed thallus was characterized by distinctive dark cephalodia — wart-like structures housing the nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria. The extinction of this species underscores the vulnerability of lichens to habitat degradation, air pollution, and climate change. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States