Fungus · GBIF taxon 2605403
wolf lichen
Letharia vulpinaAlso known as Fox Lichen
Wolf lichen forms brilliant electric yellow-green tufts that drape over dry branches and bark in high-elevation conifer forests. Its vibrant color comes from vulpinic acid, a potent chemical compound that deters herbivores and protects the organism from intense ultraviolet radiation. Historically, pastoralists mixed this lichen with ground glass and meat to create lethal bait for wolves and foxes.
ToxicBright YellowConifer Dweller
1 / 7—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Photosynthetic (symbiotic green algae)
Predators
- Lichen-eating mites
- Caterpillars
- Snails
ThreatsAir pollution, severe wildfires, habitat fragmentation
HabitatsMontane conifer forests, dry pine and fir bark
Life spanDecades to centuries
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyParmeliaceae
- SpeciesLetharia vulpina
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskHigh
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is high
- Contains toxic vulpinic acid; never ingest wild lichens or fungi.
- Why it is dangerous
- Contains vulpinic acid, a cell-respiration toxin that causes central nervous system failure and organ damage in mammals when ingested.
- How to recognize a risky encounter
- Recognizable by its electric neon yellow-green branched tufts growing on montane conifers.
- What to do
- Do not harvest or ingest, and wash hands thoroughly after touching wild lichen specimens.
Responsible observation
- Visual Identification: Look for brilliant neon yellow-green shrubby tufts on dead lower branches of pine trees.
- Gentle Observation: Leave the lichen attached to its host tree, as slow-growing lichens take decades to establish.
- Air Quality Sensing: Note its presence as an indicator of clean, low-pollution mountain air.
Host Tree no rights reserved, uploaded by Julia Carr · cc0
Forest Companion (c) wweellll, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by wweellll · cc-by
Look-Alike (c) aarongunnar, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by aarongunnar · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Dominic, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Dominic · cc-by
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