Agyriaceae Coccotremataceae Icmadophilaceae Megasporaceae Microcaliciaceae Ochrolechiaceae Pertusariaceae Varicellariaceae The Pertusariales are an order of fungi in the class Lecanoromycetes, comprising 8 families, 31 genera, and over 600 species,[1] many of which form lichens.

Originally proposed by Maurice Choisy in 1949 and later formally published by the lichenologists David L. Hawksworth and Ove Eriksson in 1986, Pertusariales has undergone significant reclassification due to molecular phylogenetics studies.

Pertusariales species exhibit a wide range of morphological features and ecological roles, from non-lichenized fungi to various forms of lichen symbioses.

It is derived from the Latin pertusus, meaning 'bored through, pierced, perforated', combined with the suffix aria, which implies possession, and alludes to the characteristic fruiting bodies on the thallus surface, immersed in depressions, and opening through a pore.

Researchers at the New York Botanical Garden proposed the creation of Sarrameanales and Trapeliales to accommodate distinct groups of fungi previously misplaced within Agyriales.

Consequently, the Trapeliaceae, previously associated with Agyriales, was reassigned to the newly established order Trapeliales based on strong molecular evidence distinguishing it from the Pertusariales.

Questions have arisen regarding the inclusion of the families Coccotremataceae and Megasporaceae, and the genus Loxosporopsis, as their characteristics partly align with those traditionally associated with Pertusariales but also show notable differences.

[7] The genus Megasporaceae, established for the species Megaspora verrucosa, initially placed within Pertusariales, has exhibited close molecular ties to Aspicilia, challenging its previous classification.

Meanwhile, Loxosporopsis, described without definitive familial placement within Pertusariales, has molecular ties suggesting a close relationship with Pertusaria s.str., despite differing in septate ascospore formation, chemical makeup, and ascoma development aspects.

[7] Furthermore, the separation between the central Pertusariaceae genera, Ochrolechia and Pertusaria, remains ambiguous, highlighted by the existence of several taxa with intermediate traits and the high variability in their characteristics.

Although subsequent studies have suggested potential monophyly of Pertusariaceae, these findings have lacked definitive support, complicating the taxonomic understanding of Pertusariales and necessitating further research to clarify these complex phylogenetic relationships.

In addition to sexual reproduction via ascospores, Pertusariales fungi can also reproduce asexually through structures called pycnidia, which produce tiny, spore-like cells known as conidia.

Additionally, within the family Microcaliciaceae, some non-lichenized fungi are saprotrophic, feeding on decaying bark or wood, while others live parasitically on other lichens (lichenicolous).

It is restricted to sheltered and vertical faces of high-elevation rock outcrops and talus slopes in spruce-fir forests, making it particularly vulnerable to environmental changes.

Pertusaria rhodostoma, known only from a single historical collection in Colombia, is listed as Data Deficient due to a lack of current information on its population, habitat, and potential threats.