Blackened Toadskin Lichen vs Common Toadskin Lichen

Lasallia pensylvanica compared with Lasallia papulosa

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Blackened Toadskin Lichen	Common Toadskin Lichen
Kingdom same	Fungi (เห็ดรา)	Fungi (เห็ดรา)
Phylum same	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)
Class same	Lecanoromycetes (Lecanoromycetes)	Lecanoromycetes (Lecanoromycetes)
Order same	Umbilicariales (Umbilicariales)	Umbilicariales (Umbilicariales)
Family same	Umbilicariaceae	Umbilicariaceae
Genus same	Lasallia	Lasallia
Species	Lasallia pensylvanica	Lasallia papulosa

Evolutionary Relationship

Blackened Toadskin Lichen and Common Toadskin Lichen share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Lasallia.

Conservation Status

Blackened Toadskin Lichen

NE — Not Evaluated

Common Toadskin Lichen

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Blackened Toadskin Lichen	Common Toadskin Lichen
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Blackened Toadskin Lichen

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Norway and United States.

Common Toadskin Lichen

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Norway and United States.

Blackened Toadskin Lichen

The Blackened Toadskin Lichen (Lasallia pensylvanica) is a species in the genus Lasallia. Native to Europe and North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region. Distributed across Norway and United States.

Common Toadskin Lichen

<em>Lasallia papulosa</em>, known as the common toadskin lichen, is a foliose lichen in the family Umbilicariaceae, belonging to the broader group of rock-dwelling umbilicate lichens. This species typically grows attached to exposed siliceous rock surfaces, particularly granite, quartzite, and other acidic rock outcrops in montane, boreal, and arctic environments across North America and parts of Europe and Asia. The thallus is typically olive-brown to dark gray in color, with a distinctively blistered or pustulate upper surface texture that gives the species its common name. It attaches to the substrate by a single central holdfast (the umbilicus), allowing the irregular, lobed thallus edges to lift freely. <em>Lasallia papulosa</em> is ecologically important as a pioneer species on bare rock, contributing to weathering processes and providing microhabitat and food for specialized invertebrates. It is sensitive to air pollution, particularly sulfur dioxide, and is often used as a bioindicator of air quality. The geographic range spans rocky regions of eastern North America, Scandinavia, the Alps, and parts of northern Asia. The species is currently assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN. Biological traits such as average growth rates, thallus dimensions, and biomass estimates remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 2 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway 🇺🇸 United States