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We present the first broad molecular-phylogenetic revision of the lichenized family Gomphillaceae, based on 408 newly generated sequences of the mitochondrial SSU rDNA and nuclear LSU rDNA, representing 342 OTUs. The phylogenetic analysis of 20 out of the 28 currently accepted genera resulted in 48 clades. Twelve genera were resolved as monophyletic: Actinoplaca, Arthotheliopsis, Bullatina, Caleniopsis, Corticifraga, Gomphillus, Gyalectidium, Gyalidea, Jamesiella, Rolueckia, Rubrotricha, and Taitaia. Two genera resulted paraphyletic, namely Aulaxina (including Caleniopsis) and Asterothyrium (including Linhartia). Six genera were in part highly polyphyletic: Aderkomyces, Calenia, Echinoplaca, Gyalideopsis, Psorotheciopsis, and Tricharia. While ascoma morphology and anatomy has traditionally been considered as main character complex to distinguish genera, our study supported the notion that the characteristic asexual anamorph of Gomphillaceae, the so-called hyphophores, are diagnostic for most of the newly recognized clades. As a result, we recognize 26 new genus-level clades, three of which have names available (Microxyphiomyces, Psathyromyces, Spinomyces) and 23 that will require formal description as new genera. We also tested monophyly for 53 species-level names for which two or more specimens were sequenced: 27 were supported as monophyletic and representing a single species, 13 as monophyletic but with an internal topology suggesting cryptic speciation, four as paraphyletic, and nine as polyphyletic. These data suggest that species richness in the family is higher than indicated by the number of accepted names (currently 425); they also confirm that recently refined species concepts reflect species richness better than the broad concepts applied in Santesson's monograph. A divergence time analysis revealed that foliicolous Gomphillaceae diversified after the K-Pg-boundary and largely during the Miocene, a notion supported by limited data available for other common foliicolous lineages such as Chroodiscus (Graphidaceae), Pilocarpaceae, and Porinaceae. This contradicts recent studies suggesting that only macrofoliose Lecanoromycetes exhibit increased diversification rates in the Cenozoic., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Recent studies have uncovered remarkable diversity in Dictyonema s.lat. basidiolichens, here recognized as subtribe Dictyonemateae. This group includes five genera and 148 species, but hundreds more await description. The photobionts of these lichens belong to Rhizonema, a recently resurrected cyanobacterial genus known by a single species. To further investigate photobiont diversity within Dictyonemateae, we generated 765 new cyanobacterial sequences from 635 specimens collected from 18 countries. The ITS barcoding locus supported the recognition of 200 mycobiont (fungal) species among these samples, but the photobiont diversity was comparatively low. Our analyses revealed three main divisions of Rhizonema, with two repeatedly recovered as monophyletic (proposed as new species), and the third mostly paraphyletic. The paraphyletic lineage corresponds to R. interruptum and partnered with mycobionts from all five genera in Dictyonemateae. There was no evidence of photobiont-mycobiont co-speciation, but one of the monophyletic lineages of Rhizonema appears to partner predominantly with one of the two major clades of Cora (mycobiont) with samples collected largely from the northern Andes. Molecular clock estimations indicate the Rhizonema species are much older than the fungal species in the Dictyonemateae, suggesting that these basidiolichens obtained their photobionts from older ascolichen lineages and the photobiont variation in extant lineages of Dictyonemateae is the result of multiple photobiont switches. These results support the hypothesis of lichens representing "fungal farmers," in which diverse mycobiont lineages associate with a substantially lower diversity of photobionts by sharing those photobionts best suited for the lichen symbiosis among multiple and often unrelated mycobiont lineages., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Members of the poorly investigated family Teloschistaceae in South America, mostly from Bolivia and Peru, were examined using molecular and morphological data here for the first time. In recent phylogenetic reclassifications of Teloschistaceae, South American representatives were poorly represented but shown to belong to subfamilies Teloschistoideae and Xanthorioideae. In this study, we expanded the sampling of South American taxa and investigated mainly the lobate, sublobate, and squamulose members of Caloplaca s.l., using morphological characters and a molecular phylogeny based on a combined three-locus data set (one mitochondrial and two nuclear loci). Building upon new phylogenies at the family and subfamily levels (Teloschistoideae), we propose here three new genera: Andina, Aridoplaca , and Cinnabaria , with the type species Andina citrinoides, Aridoplaca peltata , and Cinnabaria boliviana . We also propose to reduce Tarasginia to synonymy with Sirenophila and Tayloriellina to synonymy with Villophora and introduce three new combinations: Dufourea ottolangei, D. volkmarwirthii , and Villophora erythrosticta. Scutaria andina is reported as new to Bolivia. A critical revision of the subfamily Brownlielloideae confirmed recent findings that it is an artifactual taxon based on a "chimeric" data set, with the type genus being part of Teloschistoideae.

Symbioses are evolutionarily pervasive and play fundamental roles in structuring ecosystems, yet our understanding of their macroevolutionary origins, persistence, and consequences is incomplete. We traced the macroevolutionary history of symbiotic and phenotypic diversification in an iconic symbiosis, lichens. By inferring the most comprehensive time-scaled phylogeny of lichen-forming fungi (LFF) to date (over 3,300 species), we identified shifts among symbiont classes that broadly coincided with the convergent evolution of phylogenetically or functionally similar associations in diverse lineages (plants, fungi, bacteria). While a relatively recent loss of lichenization in Lecanoromycetes was previously identified, our work instead suggests lichenization was abandoned far earlier, interrupting what had previously been considered a direct switch between trebouxiophycean and trentepohlialean algal symbionts. Consequently, some of the most diverse clades of LFF are instead derived from nonlichenized ancestors and re-evolved lichenization with Trentepohliales algae, a clade that also facilitated lichenization in unrelated lineages of LFF. Furthermore, while symbiont identity and symbiotic phenotype influence the ecology and physiology of lichens, they are not correlated with rates of lineage birth and death, suggesting more complex dynamics underly lichen diversification. Finally, diversification patterns of LFF differed from those of wood-rotting and ectomycorrhizal taxa, likely reflecting contrasts in their fundamental biological properties. Together, our work provides a timeline for the ecological contributions of lichens, and reshapes our understanding of symbiotic persistence in a classic model of symbiosis., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interest.

The early-successional status of lichens in modern terrestrial ecosystems, together with the role lichen-mediated weathering plays in the carbon cycle, have contributed to the long and widely held assumption that lichens occupied early terrestrial ecosystems prior to the evolution of vascular plants and drove global change during this time. Their poor preservation potential and the classification of ambiguous fossils as lichens or other fungal-algal associations have further reinforced this view. As unambiguous fossil data are lacking to demonstrate the presence of lichens prior to vascular plants, we utilize an alternate approach to assess their historic presence in early terrestrial ecosystems. Here, we analyze new time-calibrated phylogenies of ascomycete fungi and chlorophytan algae, that intensively sample lineages with lichen symbionts. Age estimates for several interacting clades show broad congruence and demonstrate that fungal origins of lichenization postdate the earliest tracheophytes. Coupled with the absence of unambiguous fossil data, our work finds no support for lichens having mediated global change during the Neoproterozoic-early Paleozoic prior to vascular plants. We conclude by discussing our findings in the context of Neoproterozoic-Paleozoic terrestrial ecosystem evolution and the paleoecological context in which vascular plants evolved., (© 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

While analytical techniques in natural products research massively shifted to liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, lichen chemistry remains reliant on limited analytical methods, Thin Layer Chromatography being the gold standard. To meet the modern standards of metabolomics within lichenochemistry, we announce the publication of an open access MS/MS library with 250 metabolites, coined LDB for Lichen DataBase, providing a comprehensive coverage of lichen chemodiversity. These were donated by the Berlin Garden and Botanical Museum from the collection of Siegfried Huneck to be analyzed by LC-MS/MS. Spectra at individual collision energies were submitted to MetaboLights (https://www.ebi.ac.uk/metabolights/MTBLS999) while merged spectra were uploaded to the GNPS platform (CCMSLIB00004751209 to CCMSLIB00004751517). Technical validation was achieved by dereplicating three lichen extracts using a Molecular Networking approach, revealing the detection of eleven unique molecules that would have been missed without LDB implementation to the GNPS. From a chemist's viewpoint, this database should help streamlining the isolation of formerly unreported metabolites. From a taxonomist perspective, the LDB offers a versatile tool for the chemical profiling of newly reported species.

Foliicolous lichens are formed by diverse, highly specialized fungi that establish themselves and complete their life cycle within the brief duration of their leaf substratum. Over half of these lichen-forming fungi are members of either the Gomphillaceae or Pilocarpaceae, and associate with Trebouxia-like green algae whose identities have never been positively determined. We investigated the phylogenetic affinities of these photobionts to better understand their role in lichen establishment on an ephemeral surface. Thallus samples of Gomphillaceae and Pilocarpaceae were collected from foliicolous communities in southwest Florida and processed for sequencing of photobiont marker genes, algal cultivation and/or TEM. Additional specimens from these families and also from Aspidothelium (Thelenellaceae) were collected from a variety of substrates globally. Sequences from rbcL and nuSSU regions were obtained and subjected to Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian analyses. Analysis of 37 rbcL and 7 nuSSU algal sequences placed all photobionts studied within the provisional trebouxiophycean assemblage known as the Watanabea clade. All but three of the sequences showed affinities within Heveochlorella, a genus recently described from tree trunks in East Asia. The photobiont chloroplast showed multiple thylakoid stacks penetrating the pyrenoid centripetally as tubules lined with pyrenoglobuli, similar to the two described species of Heveochlorella. We conclude that Heveochlorella includes algae of potentially major importance as lichen photobionts, particularly within (but not limited to) foliicolous communities in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. The ease with which they may be cultivated on minimal media suggests their potential to thrive free-living as well as in lichen symbiosis., (© 2016 Phycological Society of America.)

We present a taxonomic revision of the lichenized basidiomycete genus Acantholichen, species of which produce a characteristic blue-gray, microsquamulose thallus with spiny apical hyphal cells known as acanthohyphidia. Since its discovery, the genus was thought to be monospecific, only including the generic type, A. pannarioides. However, a detailed morphological and anatomical study of recently collected specimens from the Galápagos, Costa Rica, Brazil and Colombia, combined with a molecular phylogenetic analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) region and 28S of the nuc rDNA and RPB2 sequences, revealed a much more diverse and widespread species assemblage. Based on the results of these analyses, we describe five new species in the genus: A. albomarginatus, A. campestris, A. galapagoensis, A. sorediatus and A. variabilis. We also provide an identification key to all species, anatomical and morphological descriptions, photographs and a table comparing main characters of each species., (© 2016 by The Mycological Society of America.)

Renewed interests in macroevolutionary dynamics have led to the proliferation of studies on diversification processes in large taxonomic groups, such as angiosperms, mammals, and birds. However, such a study has yet to be conducted in lichenized fungi--an extremely successful and diverse group of fungi. Analysing the most comprehensive time-calibrated phylogenies with a new analytical method, we illustrated drastically different diversification dynamics between two hyper-diverse families of lichenized fungi, Graphidaceae and Parmeliaceae, which represent more than a fourth of the total species diversity of lichenized fungi. Despite adopting a similar nutrition mode and having a similar number of species, Graphidaceae exhibited a lower speciation rate, while Parmeliaceae showed a sharp increase in speciation rate that corresponded with the aridification during the Oligocene-Miocene transition, suggesting their adaptive radiation into a novel arid habitat.

The foliicolous lichen Gallaicolichen pacificus exhibits unique goniocystangia-like structures named peltidiangia and peltidia. Its taxonomic classification within the Ascomycota has been unclear due to the absence of ascomata and lack of molecular data. Here we clarify the phylogenetic affinities of Gallaicolichen pacificus by analyzing mitochondrial small subunit ribosomal RNA (mtSSU) sequences obtained from specimens collected in New Caledonia. Ascomata and ascospores of G. pacificus , previously unknown, are described and illustrated for the first time. The results from the molecular and morphological analyses clearly indicate that Gallaicolichen pacificus belongs to the Porinaceae and is closely related to Porina guianensis. This is a remarkable extension of the already known, wide morphological diversity of thalli and diaspores produced within this family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four species of the genus Sticta are described as new from Bolivia, based on morphological examination and phylogenetic analysis of the fungal ITS barcoding marker. Additionally, two species are reported as new to Bolivia (their identification confirmed by molecular data) and one previously reported species is confirmed by molecular data for the first time. Detailed morphological and anatomical descriptions are provided for all new species. Two of the new species, S. isidiolobulata Ossowska, B. Moncada, Lücking & Kukwa and S. madidiensis Ossowska, B. Moncada, Lücking & Kukwa belong to clade I, as defined in previous studies. In contrast, S. montepunkuensis Ossowska, B. Moncada, Lücking & Kukwa and S. macrolobata Ossowska, B. Moncada, Lücking & Kukwa, also described here as new to science, belong to clade III. Sticta isidiolobulata has an irregular to suborbicular thallus of medium size, with isidia developing into spathulate lobules, cyanobacterial photobiont and apothecia with entire to weakly-crenate margins. The large irregular thallus of the cyanobacteria-associated S. macrolobata has broad lobes, apothecia with verrucous to tomentose margins and cyphellae with raised margins, whereas S. madidiensis has a medium-sized, palmate to irregular thallus with a stipe, but without vegetative propagules and apothecia. Sticta montepunkuensis has large and irregular thalli with green algae as photobiont, apothecia with crenate to verrucous margins and urceolate cyphellae with a wide pore and a scabrid basal membrane. Two species, S. beauvoisii Delise and S. riparia Merc.-Díaz are reported as new to Bolivia (the latter also as new to South America) and belong to clade III. Sticta tomentosa (Sw.) Ach., species confirmed from Bolivia by molecular data, belongs to clade II. Sticta beauvoisii is characterised by a smooth yellowish-brown upper surface with darker apices and abundant, marginal isidia and a brown lower surface with golden-chocolate brown primary tomentum and sparse, golden-brown rhizines. Sticta riparia has a strongly branched thallus, with undulate lobes and abundant, marginal, palmate, grey to dark brown phyllidia and greyish-brown lower surface with the primary tomentum absent towards the margins. Sticta tomentosa has palmate, bluish thalli with white cilia and abundant, submarginal apothecia and creamy-white lower surface with a sparse, white primary tomentum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe 43 new lichen species in the family Graphidaceae, mainly from the Amazon basin: Fissurina bispora, F. diamantica, F. endothallina, F. lirelloreagens, F. reticulolirellina, Graphis inspersonorstictica, G. polystriatosubmuriformis, G. viridithallina, Heiomasia hypostictica, Leucodecton aurantiacum, Mangoldia thallolomoides, Myriochapsa negativa, M. triseptata, Myriotrema inspersosticticum, M. reticulatum, M. roseum, M. xanthonicum, Ocellularia coronatoverrucosa, O. griseosorediata, O. inspersomuriformis, O. inspersulascens, O. microschizidiata, O. norsorediata, O. pallidocolumellata, O. pedicellata, O. pertusella, O. pseudocyphellata, O. psorinspersa, O. psorsorediata, O. roseoisidiata, O. sorediopseudochapsa, O. verruciinspersa, O. vulcanica, O. wirthiotremoides, Phaeographis aureopruinosa, P. coccinea, P. fuscobilabiata, P. macrocephalica, P. norscalpturata, P. pallidoxanthonica, Rhabdodiscus lineatus, Stegobolus negativus, and Thalloloma xanthohypoleptum (the last species also from Puerto Rico). Relatively many are fertile but also form vegetative propagules. A few of the species contain no mature ascospores, but are so deviating from any other described species that we decided to describe them nonetheless. Also, we propose the following 22 new combinations for species of Graphidaceae that were previously described from Brazil and currently are accepted species but were so far assigned to the other genera: Allographa basaltica (≡ Graphis basaltica Kremp.), A. brevissima (≡ Graphis brevissima Fée), A. byrsonimae (≡ Graphina byrsonimae Redinger), A. heteroplaca (≡ Graphina heteroplaca Müll.Arg.), A. platypoda (≡ Phaeographina platypoda Zahlbr.), A. pseudoserpens (≡ Graphis pseudoserpens Chaves & Lücking), A. subargentata (≡ Graphis subargentata S.C.Feuerst., Dal Forno & Eliasaro), A. tricolorata (≡ Graphina tricolorata Redinger), Diorygma album (≡ Graphina alba Müll.Arg.), Fissurina adscripturiens (≡ Graphis adscripturiens Nyl.), F. egenella (≡ Graphina egenella Müll.Arg.), Graphis fasciata (≡ Ustalia fasciata Eschw.), Mangoldia lecideicarpa (≡ Graphina lecideicarpa Zahlbr.), O. endocrocea (≡ O. cinchonarum var. endocrocea Müll.Arg.), O. minarum (≡ Thelotrema minarum Vain.), Phaeographis atrolabiata (≡ Phaeographina atrolabiata Redinger), Phaeographis cheilomegas (≡ Graphis cheilomegas Fée), P. coriaria (≡ Phaeographina coriaria M.Wirth & Hale), P. crassa (≡ Platygramme crassa Fée), P. oxalifera (≡ Phaeographina oxalifera Redinger), P. scriptitata (≡ Phaeographina scriptitata C.W.Dodge), and Stegobolus trachodes (≡ Thelotrema trachodes Nyl.). Finally, we report several species new to Brazil or to one of the states: Allographa pitmanii new to Amapá, Cryptoschizotrema minus new to Alagoas, Glaucotrema glaucophaenum new to Amapá, Graphis pyrrhocheiloides new to Amapá, Graphis subserpentina new to Pará, Melanotrema astrolucens new to Brazil in Amazonas and Pará, Myriotrema hartii new to Amazonas, O. bullata new to Brazil in Pará, O. inspersipallens new to Brazil in Rondônia, O. jutaratiae new to Amapá, O. parvidisca new to Brazil in Amapá, O. rondoniana new to Alagoas, and Thelotrema wilsoniorum new to Brazil in Amapá. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Coenogonium, the only genus in the family Coenogoniaceae, is mostly found in tropical and subtropical regions. Approximately 100 species of Coenogonium are known worldwide, and about 52 species have been previously recorded from Brazil. Here, we describe four species as new to science from the Atlantic Forest in the states of Bahia, Minas Gerais, and Sergipe, and present a few new state records. The new species are C. carassense, C. itabaianense, C. pilosum, and C. subtomentosum. An annotated checklist of the species of Coenogonium from Brazil is also included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a novel identification tool called PhyloKey , based on the method of morphology-based, phylogenetic binning developed within the software package RAxML. This method takes a reference data set of species for which both molecular and morphological data are available, computes a molecular reference tree, maps the morphological characters on the tree, and computes weights based on their level of consistency versus homoplasy using maximum likelihood (ML) and maximum parsimony (MP). Additional units for which only morphological data are known are then binned onto the reference tree, calculating bootstrap support values for alternative placements. This approach is modified here to work as an identification tool which uses the same character coding approach as interactive keys. However, rather than identifying individual samples through a progressive filtering process when entering or selecting characters, query samples are binned in batch mode to all possible alternative species in the tree, with each placement receiving a bootstrap support adding to 100% for all alternative placements. In addition to the fact that, after scoring a character matrix, a large number of specimens can be identified at once in short time, all possible alternative identifications are immediately apparent and can be evaluated based on their bootstrap support values. We illustrate this approach using the basidiolichen genus Cora , which was recently shown to contain hundreds of species. We also demonstrate how the PhyloKey approach can aid the restudying of herbarium samples, adding further value to these collections and contributing with large quantitative data matrices to 'non-molecular museomics'. Our analysis showed that PhyloKey identifies species correctly with as low as 50% of the characters sampled, depending on the nature of the reference tree and the character weighting scheme. Overall, a molecular reference tree worked best, but a randomized reference tree gave more consistent results, whereas a morphological reference tree performed less well. Surprisingly, even character weighting gave the best results, followed by parsimony weighting and then maximum likelihood weighting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A survey of the lichen family Graphidaceae in Macaronesia (Madeira, the Canary Islands, and the Azores) is presented, with detailed treatments for the genera Allographa, Fissurina, and Graphis. All other species are listed and new records provided. A key to all Graphicacy known from Macaronesia, except the thelotremoid species, is presented. The following species are newly described: Fissurina azorica, Fissurina elaiocarpoides, Fissurina nigrolabiata, and Topeliopsis juniperina. Many species are newly recorded for one or more islands of the three archipelagos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In this study, we revised the lichen collection at the Herbario Amazonico Colombiano (coah) in Bogotá, Colombia. The collection has a total of nearly 2,400 specimens, with some duplicates in the Herbario Nacional (col) and in the herbarium of the Botanic Garden in Berlin (b). The revision of 1,861 specimens revealed 574 species in 142 genera and 44 families, among which there are 28 species new to science and seven new combinations. Previously, 324 species had been reported from the Colombian Amazon, and our revision resulted in a new total of 666 species, more than doubling the previous number. All 666 species are enumerated here in the first comprehensive checklist of lichens from the Colombian Amazon. A total of 157 new country records (53 already reported in the new Catalogue of Fungi of Colombia) increase the number of lichens known from Colombia to 2,827. The following species are described as new: Allographa exuens, differing from A. argentata by the lirellae with the corticiform layer soon flaking off and exposing the black labia, the only finely inspersed hymenium, and the narrower ascospores; A. guainiae, differing from Graphis syzygii in the prominent ascomata with lateral thalline margin and whitish thallus remnants between the striae; A. labiata, differing from A. immersa in the prominent lirellae with conspicuous, entire, exposed labia, an inspersed hymenium, longer ascospores, and stictic acid as secondary compound; A. lichexanthonica, differing from A. sitiana in producing lichexanthone; A. sessilis, differing from A. contortuplicata in the muriform ascospores; A. suprainspersata, differing from A. angustata in the very thin thalline cover of the ascomata and the apically inspersed hymenium; Astrothelium bireagens, differing from A. cinnamomeum by the broader, apically flattened perithecia covered by a thin, ferruginous-red, K+ deep purple pruina and internally with an ochraceous-yellow, K+ deep yellow pigment; A. stromatolucidum, differing from A. neovariolosum in the distinctly pseudostromatic ascomata; Carbacanthographis submultiseptata, differing from C. multiseptata in the narrower ascospores and the indistinct periphysoids; Chapsa inconspicua, differing from C. angustispora in the smooth to uneven versus farinose thallus and in the much shorter ascospores; Coenogonium velutinellum, differing from C. pineti in the finely velvety, rather thick thallus composed of irregular to erect, densely packed algal threads covered by a thin pseudocortex; Fellhanera naevioides, differing from F. naevia in the finely dispersed, minutely crenulate thallus and the blackish apothecia; Fissurina sipmanii, differing from F. amazonica in the shorter and broader, slightly gaping, somewhat chroodiscoid ascomata, and the amyloid ascospores; Glyphis lirellizans, differing from Glyphis substriatula in the erumpent vs. prominent lirellae with lateral thalline margin and the exposed disc; Graphis papillifera, differing from G. stellata in the lirellae lacking a thalline margin, very elongate and irregularly to radiately branched and not in stellate clusters, and in the 5-septate ascospores; G. pseudoglyphis, differing from Graphis stellata in the non-verrucose thallus, the branched lirellae which do not, however, form stellate clusters, and the shorter ascospores; Malmidea flavimarginata, differing from M. bacidinoides in the pale yellow, K+ deep yellow medulla and yellow, K+ deep yellow excipular crystals, as well as the smaller ascospores; M. isidiopiperina, differing from M. taytayensis in the smaller ascospores; M. papillitrailiana, differing from M. trailiana in the papillose apothecial margins; Myriotrema araracuarense, differing from Myriotrema muluense in the non-annulate pores of the apothecia and in the longer ascospores; Ocellularia areolata, differing from Ocellularia rhicnoporoides in the pigmented medulla and the larger, more prominent apothecia with completely carbonized excipulum; O. caquetensis, differing from Ocellularia rotundifumosa in the absence of a columella; O. inspersipallens, differing from O. viridipallens in the inspersed hymenium and the 5–7-septate ascospores; O. rufocinctoides, differing from O. rufocincta in the thallus lacking large and irregular crystal clusters, in the more prominent apothecia and in the smaller ascospores; O. sipmanii, differing from Ocellularia abbayesiana in the smaller, 3-septate ascospores; Pseudopyrenula daironii, differing from all other species of the genus in the aggregate perithecia with shared ostiole and the internal orange-red pigment granules lining the perithecial wall; Pyrenula asymmetrica, differing from Pyrenula papilligera in the longer, almost rectangular ascospores; and Redingeria pseudostromatica, differing from other species in the genus in the pseudostromatic ascomata with small, rounded apothecia, in combination with 1-septate ascospores. In addition, the following seven new combinations are proposed: Bacidina cyanophila (≡ Bacidina simplex var. cyanophila), Malmidea sorediifera (≡ Lecanora sorediifera), Ocellularia fuscescens (≡ Thelotrema fuscescens), Phaeographis cymbegrapha (≡ Graphis cymbegrapha; = Phaeographis amazonica Staiger], Polyblastidium flavosquamosum (≡ Heterodermia flavosquamosa), Polyblastidium lamelligerum (≡ Parmelia lamelligera), and Polyblastidium rottboellii (≡ Anaptychia hypoleuca var. rottboellii). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical regions harbor a substantial diversity of lichenized fungi, but face numerous threats to their persistence, often even before previously unknown species have been described and their evolutionary relationships have been elucidated. Megalaria (Ramalinaceae) is a lichen-forming genus of fungi that produces crustose thalli, and includes a number of lineages occupying tropical rain forests; however, taxonomic and phylogenetic work on this clade is limited. Here we leverage both morphological and sequence data to describe a new species from the tropics, M. pachaylenophila. This taxon forms a crustose thallus, lacks secondary metabolites, and occurs in mangrove forests of Thailand. We supplemented molecular data from this species with data from other species, including two genera related to and occasionally included in Megalaria, namely Catillochroma and Lopezaria. Our analyses revealed Catillochroma species form a monophyletic group embedded within Megalaria, and we therefore recognize this clade at the subgeneric level. Since we only included the type species of Lopezaria in this study, we refrain from proposing a taxonomic conclusion for that clade at the moment. Several taxonomic combinations are made to reflect phylogenetic evidence supporting the inclusion of these species in Megalaria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assessed the status of two New Zealand endemic morphodemes in the genus Sticta , currently treated as two separate taxa, Sticta filix and Sticta lacera. Both are green-algal lichens with a distinct stipe that grow in forested habitats and are suitable indicators of the indigenous vegetation health in forest ecosystems in New Zealand. They exhibit different morphologies and substrate ecologies: S. filix forms rather robust thalli, often on exposed trunks of phorophytes, with erect stems distinctly emerging from the substrate, whereas S. lacera is a more delicate lichen growing near the base of trees, usually among bryophyte mats or sheltered in the exposed portions of the phorophyte root-plate, with a prostrate, branched, stolon-like stem barely emerging from the substrate. Throughout their range, both taxa grow sympatrically and often in close proximity (syntopically). Despite the differences, ITS barcoding does not support the two morphodemes as separate species. In this study we assessed two possible explanations: (1) S. filix and S. lacera are discrete phenotypes of a single species, caused by developmental switching triggered by a discrete environmental variable, the propagules developing either on bare substrate or between bryophytes; and (2) the two morphodemes represent separate lineages, but ITS does not provide sufficient resolution to reflect this. We performed a quantitative analysis of morphological and ecological parameters, based on vouchered herbarium collections and field observations on iNaturalist NZ (https://inaturalist.nz), to assess the level of discreteness of the growth forms and to test for a correlation with the presence of a bryophyte mat. We further took advantage of an existing molecular data set from a target capture approach, comprised of 205 protein markers. This data set was used to establish a framework of percentage identities between pairs of the same and of different species among lobarioid Peltigeraceae and then to test whether the S. filix / lacera pairing fell closer to a within-species or a between-species pairing. The morphometric analysis of herbarium material resolved S. filix and S. lacera as two discrete morphs with little overlap, supported by numerous observations on iNaturalist NZ. However, whereas herbarium material suggested a significant association of the lacera morph with bryophyte mats, no such pattern was evident from field images on iNaturalist NZ, in which both morphs frequently associated with bryophyte mats. This highlights the limitations of herbarium material to correctly assess substrate ecology, whereas iNaturalist NZ postings had issues with correct identifications, given that especially S. lacera is easily confused with Pseudocyphellaria multifida. Based on the target capture data, the percentage identity of the S. filix / lacera pairing (99.43%) was significantly higher than that of all 12 between-species pairings (93.20–98.01%); it was at the same time lower than that of all within-species pairings (99.63–99.99%) but significantly so only in comparison with five out of the eight within-species pairings. The target capture approach is thus inconclusive, but the combination of all data suggests that S. filix and S. lacera are not discrete morphodemes of a single species but represent two separate lineages which emerged recently and hence cannot be resolved using the ITS barcoding marker or even a deeper phylogenomic approach based on protein-coding markers. We propose transplantation experiments and the application of RADseq to further assess this situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Six species of Sticta are described as new to science on the basis of material from Bolivia and supported by phylogenetic analysis of the fungal ITS barcoding marker. The species were resolved in all three of the clades (I, II, III) widespread and common in the Neotropics, as defined in an earlier study on the genus. Comparison with material from neighbouring countries (i.e. Colombia, Ecuador, Peru) suggests that these new species may be potentially endemic to the Bolivian Yungas ecoregion. For each species, a detailed morphological and anatomical description is given. Sticta amboroensis Ossowska, Kukwa, B. Moncada & Lücking is a medium-sized green-algal species with laminal to submarginal apothecia with hirsute margins and with light to dark brown lower tomentum. Sticta aymara Ossowska, Kukwa, B. Moncada, Flakus, Rodriguez-Flakus & Lücking is a comparatively small cyanobacterial taxon with Nostoc as photo-biont, laminal, richly branched, aggregate isidia and a golden to chocolate-brown lower tomentum. The medium-sized, cyanobacterial S. bicellulata Ossowska, Kukwa, B. Moncada & Lücking has cyanobacterial photobiont, bicellular ascospores, apothecia with white to golden-brown hairs on the margins, K+ violet apothecial margin (ring around disc) and epihymenium and a white to dark brown lower tomentum. In contrast, the green-algal species, S. carrascoensis Ossowska, Kukwa, B. Moncada & Lücking is characterised by its large size, apothecia with dark brown hairs on the margins and a yellow medulla. The cyanobacterial S. catharinae Ossowska, B. Moncada, Kukwa, Flakus, Rodriguez-Flakus & Lücking forms stipitate thalli with Nostoc as photobiont, abundant, laminal to submarginal apothecia and a golden-brown lower tomentum. Finally, the cyanobacterial S. pseudoimpressula Ossowska, Kukwa, B. Moncada & Lücking produces laminal apothecia with an orange-yellow line of pruina along the margins which reacts K+ carmine-red. In addition to the six new Bolivian taxa, the cyanobacterial S. narinioana B. Moncada, Ossowska & Lücking is described as new from Colombia and it represents the closely-related sister species of the Bolivian S. aymara; it differs from the latter largely in the marginal instead of laminal isidia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Dendriscosticta (Ascomycota: Peltigerales) encompasses several distinctive lichen‐forming fungal species restricted to the Northern Hemisphere. Most are flagship species of old‐growth forests with good air quality. A global phylogeny of the genus based on multilocus sequence data (ITS, RPB1, EF‐1α, MCM7), model‐based phylogenetic methods, and morphological and chemical assessments, reveals a high level of cryptic speciation often associated with restricted geographical distribution and/or chemical characters. Using sequence‐based species delimitation approaches, we circumscribe two main clades referred to as the D. wrightii clade, with five unequivocal species, including D. gelida sp. nov., and the D. praetextata clade, with eight putative species, including D. phyllidiata sp. nov. The absence of recently collected material of D. hookeri comb. nov. from the type locality unfortunately prevents assignment of this epithet to one of the five supported lineages sharing this morphotype. Three new combinations are proposed: D. hookeri, D. insinuans comb. nov. and D. yatabeana comb. nov. Epitypes are designated for D. wrightii and D. yatabeana. Species diversity within the genus increased from four to nine. Our morphological assessment confirmed that Sticta and Dendriscosticta can be readily distinguished by the presence of excipular algae whereas the structure of the lower surface pores is not a reliable diagnostic feature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose that a qualitative trait approach based on more detailed nuanced traits may reveal previously overlooked patterns, especially when combined with phylogenetic perspectives. By sampling epiphytic lichens and using a functional approach based on nuanced qualitative traits, such as a much greater resolution over photobiont identity, type of cortex, and chemical compounds, we evaluated the effects of environmental filtering and phylogenetic constraints on community assembly along a natural succession of Atlantic rainforest. We found changes in taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic composition, structure, and diversity. Functional traits such as photobiont genera, type of cortex, reproductive structures, propagule size, and protection strategies showed strong responses to succession. Mature forests with a closed canopy impose strong environment filtering that is reflected in lichen species turnover, limiting diversity, but also holding different functional and phylogenetic composition. The use of a nuanced qualitative trait approach may overcome some of the limitations of using this type of traits and shows the importance of often‐overlooked key lichen functional traits, including the presence of carbon‐concentrating mechanisms in photobionts and cortex properties. Furthermore, this is the first study showing how patterns of phylogenetic assembly along forest succession structure lichen communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As part of a revision of the genus Acanthothecis s. lat. (Graphidaceae) in Brazil, an updated world key to the known species of the genus is presented. From Brazil, the following ten new species are described: A. latispora, with single-spored asci, large, muriform ascospores, and norstictic and stictic acids; A. megalospora, with single-spored asci, very large, transversely septate ascospores, and norstictic and protocetraric acids; A. multiseptata, with 8-spored asci, medium-sized and narrow, transversely multiseptate ascospores, and lacking secondary substances except terpenoids; A. norstictica, with 1–2-spored asci, large, muriform ascospores, and norstictic acid; A. oryzoides, with 8-spored asci, medium-sized, transversely septate ascospores, and norstictic acid; A. rimosa, with 2-spored asci, small to medium-sized, muriform ascospores, and stictic acid; A. roseola, with 1–2-spored asci, large, muriform ascospores, and norstictic, stictic and subnorstictic acids; A. saxicola, with 8-spored asci, small, 3-septate ascospores, and norstictic acid; A. subfarinosa, with 8-spored asci, small, 6–8-septate ascospores, and norstictic acid; and A. submuriformis, with 8-spored asci, small, submuriform ascospores, and lichexanthone. In addition, three further species are formally validated, namely A. bicellulata, A. farinosa and A. subabaphoides, and the new combination A. bicellularis is proposed, based on Acanthotrema bicellularis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We provide an updated, worldwide key to species of the genus Carbacanthographis, which is characterized by lirellate ascomata, a carbonized excipulum, warty periphysoids, and mostly non-amyloid ascospores. New collections and revision of herbarium material revealed 17 species new to science: Carbacanthographis acanthoamicta, with a thinly corticate thallus, a completely carbonized excipulum, apically warty paraphyses, small and (sub-)muriform ascospores, and salazinic acid; C. acanthoparaphysata, with a completely carbonized excipulum, apically warty paraphyses, small and submuriform, amyloid ascospores, and protocetraric acid; C. aggregata, with aggregated lirellae, a completely carbonized excipulum, small and submuriform ascospores, and salazinic acid; C. amazonica, with a completely carbonized excipulum, small and transversely septate ascospores, and stictic acid; C. aptrootii, with a completely carbonized excipulum, apically warty paraphyses, small to medium-sized and transversely septate, amyloid ascospores, and norstictic acid; C. brasiliensis, with a completely carbonized excipulum, apically warty paraphyses, medium-sized and transversely septate, amyloid ascospores, and no substances; C. chionophoroides, with a completely carbonized excipulum, small and transversely septate ascospores, and protocetraric acid; C. halei, with a corticate thallus, a completely carbonized excipulum, small and transversely septate ascospores, and stictic acid; C. latispora, with a completely carbonized excipulum, very large and transversely septate ascospores, and stictic acid; C. megalospora, with a corticate thallus, a completely carbonized excipulum, very large muriform ascospores, and stictic acid; C. multiseptata, with a completely carbonized excipulum, very large and transversely septate ascospores, and protocetraric acid; C. novoguineensis, with a completely carbonized excipulum, small and submuriform ascospores, and salazinic acid; C. pseudorustica, with a corticate thallus, a completely carbonized excipulum, medium-sized and transversely septate, amyloid ascospores, and stictic acid; C. salazinicoides, with a corticate thallus, a completely carbonized excipulum, medium-sized and muriform ascospores, and salazinic acid; C. sipmaniana, with a completely carbonized excipulum, apically warty paraphyses, small and transversely septate, weakly amyloid ascospores, and norstictic acid; C. spongiosa, with a completely carbonized excipulum, inspersed hymenium, small, transversely septate ascospores, and stictic acid; and C. subchionophora, with a completely carbonized excipulum, small and transversely septate ascospores, and protocetraric acid. New molecular data confirm the position of C. megalospora in the genus. In addition, we propose one new combination, Carbacanthographis nematoides. The known world distribution of four species is expanded: C. amicta is reported from Papua New Guinea; C. induta from Thailand; C. marcescens from French Guyana and Papua New Guinea; and C. stictica from Colombia, French Guyana, Venezuela and Suriname. For all species, short descriptions and distribution notes are given, and most species are illustrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amazon, Atlantic forest, Brejos de Altitude, Caatinga, Carrasco, Cerradão and Restinga are major vegetation units in North and Northeast Brazil. Little is known about lichen metacommunity structure in these habitats. While species richness and composition generally depend on climatic factors, in azonal vegetation edaphic factors may have a filtering effect on tree bark structure and hence the composition of epiphytic lichen communities. We hypothesized that climatic stress and a tree bark filtering effect would result in reduced richness and phylogenetic clustering in Caatinga, Carrasco, Cerradão and Restinga, whereas high richness and phylogenetic overdispersion were predicted for Amazon and Atlantic Forest. To test this, we analyzed 2,090 lichenized species in the study area, with a supertree to assess phylogenetic metacommunity structure. Amazon and Atlantic forest exhibited high richness and phylogenetic diversity, with phylogenetic overdispersion only in the Amazon. The zonal Caatinga with drought stress and the extrazonal Brejos both exhibited phylogenetic clustering. Among the azonal, edaphic vegetation units, Cerradão exhibited phylogenetic overdispersion, whereas Restinga showed phylogenetic clustering. Nearest taxon phylogenetic distance indicated a close relationship between Amazon and Atlantic forest, Atlantic forest and Brejos and Atlantic forest and Caatinga. Carrasco was mostly closely related to Cerradão, and Restinga was distantly related to any other unit. These findings indicate more complex patterns in the phylogenetic structure of lichen metacommunities, partly reflecting those of plant metacommunities, as a result of concurrent macroecological evolutionary histories. Our data supported floristic evidence that Carrasco is part of the Cerrado complex and not related to Caatinga. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyzed the structure of foliicolous lichen communities in the northernmost lowland forest of the Neotropics, Los Tuxtlas Tropical Biology Station in Veracruz, Mexico, and its dependence on phorophyte and microclimate. Along a 420‐m long transect with 15 equidistant sampling points, within a 10 m radius of each point, we sampled a total 137 phorophytes and 411 leaves. The phorophytes represented 13 species, with diverse leaf traits regarding size, texture, presence of hairs and/or glands, and longevity, including: Astrocaryum mexicanum (Arecaceae), Chamaedorea ernesti‐augustii (Arecaceae), Costus scaber (Costaceae), Guarea glabra (Meliaceae), Heliconia latispatha (Heliconiaceae), Monstera acuminata (Araceae), Myriocarpa longipes (Urticaceae), Piper hispidum (Piperaceae), Poulsenia armata (Moraceae), Pseudolmedia oxyphyllaria (Moraceae), Salacia megistophylla (Celastraceae), Siparuna thecaphora (Siparunaceae) and Syngonium podophyllum (Araceae). NDMS ordination and cluster analysis grouped the phorophytes into hierarchically structured clusters variously correlated with microsite, phorophyte species and foliicolous lichen species richness. Indicator species analysis revealed statistically significant foliicolous lichen species characteristic for terminal clusters and for phorophyte species. We conclude that the principle of "diversity begets diversity" may apply, in that phorophyte diversity influences the diversity of foliicolous lichen communities through the manifestation of subtle phorophyte preferences, best seen in well‐developed communities on leaves with higher longevity. Thus, well‐preserved forest ecosystems, with a higher diversity of suitable phorophytes, will support a higher diversity of foliicolous lichens, a phenomenon that extents to epiphytes in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Phylogenetic diversification is a precursor to speciation, but the underlying patterns and processes are not well‐studied in lichens. Here we investigate what factors drive diversification in two tropical, morphologically similar macrolichens that occupy a similar range but differ in altitudinal and habitat preferences, testing for isolation by distance (IBD), environment (IBE), and fragmentation (IBF). Location: Neotropics, Hawaii, Macaronesia. Taxon: Sticta andina, S. scabrosa (Peltigeraceae). Methods: We analysed 395 specimens from 135 localities, using the fungal ITS barcoding marker to assess phylogenetic diversification, through maximum likelihood tree reconstruction, TCS haplotype networks, and Tajima's D. Mantel tests were employed to detect structure in genetic vs. geographic, environmental, and fragmentation distances. Habitat preferences were quantitatively assessed by statistical analysis of locality‐based BIOclim variables. Results: Sticta andina exhibited high phenotypic variation and reticulate phylogenetic diversity across its range, whereas the phenotypically uniform S. scabrosa contained two main haplotypes, one unique to Hawaii. Sticta andina is restricted to well‐preserved andine forests and paramos, naturally fragmented habitats due to disruptive topology, whereas S. scabrosa thrives in lowland to lower montane zones in exposed or disturbed microsites, representing a continuous habitat. Sticta scabrosa showed IBD only across its full range (separating the Hawaiian population) but not within continental Central and South America, there exhibiting a negative Tajima's D. Sticta andina did not exhibit IBD but IBE at continental level and IBF in the northern Andes. Main conclusions: Autecology, particularly preference for either low or high altitudes, indirectly drives phylogenetic diversification. Low diversification in the low altitude species, S. scabrosa, can be attributed to rapid expansion and effective gene flow across a more or less continuous niche due to disturbance tolerance. In contract, high diversification in the high altitude species, S. andina, can be explained by niche differentiation (IBE) and fragmentation (IBF) caused by the Andean uplift. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The taxonomy of the genus Sticta in Hawaii is reassessed, based on a separately published molecular phylogeny using the fungal barcoding marker ITS. Based on Magnusson and Zahlbruckner's treatment from 1943 and Magnusson's catalogue from 1955, seven species of Sticta and three infraspecific taxa had been reported from the archipelago, all widespread except the putative endemic S. plumbicolor. Here we provide a taxonomic treatment of 13 taxa, 12 species and one subspecies, distinguished in a previous phylogenetic analysis: S. acyphellata, S. andina, S. antoniana, S. emmanueliana, S. flynnii, S. fuliginosa, S. hawaiiensis, S. limbata, S. plumbicolor, S. scabrosa subsp. hawaiiensis, S. smithii, S. tomentosa and S. waikamoi. All taxa are described, discussed and illustrated and a dichotomous key is presented. The implications of revised species taxonomies for studies in other fields such as ecology, ecophysiology, biogeography, biochemistry, and applications such as environmental monitoring are discussed. We also propose a protocol to use Sticta lichens to monitor the environmental health of Hawaiian ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The new genus Saxiloba is described with the two species S. firmula from the Caribbean and S. hawaiiensis from Hawaii. Saxiloba is characterized by a unique, placodioid thallus forming distinct lobes, growing on rock in shaded to exposed situations with a trentepohlioid photobiont and a fenestrate thallus anatomy with distinct surface lines. The material is often sterile, but Porina-like perithecia and ascospores had previously been described for the Caribbean taxon and were here confirmed for both species. Molecular sequence data also confirmed placement of this lineage in Porinaceae. Its position within that family supports the notion that Porinaceae should be subdivided into a larger number of genera than proposed in previous classification attempts. Compared to other Porinaceae, Saxiloba exhibits a unique morphology and anatomy that recalls taxa in the related family Graphidaceae and it substantially expands the known phenotypic variation within Porinaceae. The two recognized species are similar in overall morphology but, apart from their disjunct distribution and different substrate ecology, differ in lobe configuration, color and disposition of the crystal clusters and resulting surface patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional taxonomic studies provide only a limited understanding of species richness within a group. Their usefulness for assessing species diversity could also be limited as many lack sufficient sampling and/or fail to integrate different data types for assessing species boundaries. To explore the challenges and limitations of estimating species richness in lichens, we employed an integrative taxonomic approach to elucidate diversification patterns of the genus Sticta (Peltigeraceae) in Puerto Rico. Specimens were collected throughout the island, and a six‐locus dataset was generated to infer phylogenetic relationships among Puerto Rican Sticta and their continental counterparts. Phylogenetic analysis was combined with species delimitation methods and analysis of morpho‐anatomical characters to assess diversity patterns and clarify species‐level taxonomy. We found that Sticta is represented by 16 species in Puerto Rico and that at least 11 (69%) of them are potentially endemic to the island. We describe eight of these in this work: S. borinquensis sp. nov., S. corymbosa sp. nov., S. densiphyllidiata sp. nov., S. guilartensis sp. nov., S. harrisii sp. nov., S. parvilobata sp. nov., S. riparia sp. nov., and S. tainorum sp. nov. These species do not cluster in a monophyletic assemblage but are scattered over the broader Sticta phylogeny, indicating at least eight separate dispersal events. Putative endemic species were found to have close allies occurring in South America. Careful re‐examination of material revealed phenotypical characters that separate most species, suggesting low levels of cryptic diversity. We highlight that integrating molecular methods and other sources of information in species discovery along with comprehensive sampling efforts can greatly enhance our knowledge about diversity patterns in poorly studied groups and regions. Furthermore, species and ecosystems in the Caribbean are being threatened by substantial human‐driven changes (e.g., deforestation, climate change). Consequences of these impacts include reduction in already restricted habitats and potential extinction. We argue that studies analyzing species diversity within a phylogenetic framework could better inform conservation efforts aimed at addressing these challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ocellularia (Graphidaceae) is a genus of crustose lichens comprising c.200 species, four known from Australia and New Zealand. Based on recent collections from northern North Island, we describe a fifth species Ocellularia jacinda-arderniae, which is a member of the O. bicuspidata complex. This complex is characterised by peculiar, appendiculate ascospores and a psoromic acid chemistry. Two further undescribed species of this complex, one from North Island and one from South Island, are discussed but left undescribed pending further study. Based on our findings, we provide a revised assessment of New Zealand Ocellularia. Of the four species included in the most recent Flora of New Zealand Lichens from 2007, three do not belong in that genus and the identification of the fourth is incorrect; instead, the following four taxa are recognised: O. jacinda-arderniae, O. aff. dolichotata, O. aff. bicuspidata (a) (South Island; OTA 58820) and O. aff. bicuspidata (b) (North Island; UNITEC 10818). This leads to the somewhat unusual situation that a presumably known genus biota in New Zealand is entirely replaced by names of a new species and three provisional identifications. The following new combination is introduced: Schizotrema concentricum (Stirt.) Lücking comb. nov. In addition, the name Thelotrema manosporum (C. Knight.) Hellb. is given as the correct name for the New Zealand taxon previously identified as T. monosporum Nyl., and the name T. monosporoides Nyl. [syn.: O. monosporoides (Nyl.) Hale] is established as a taxonomic synonym of T. manosporum, leaving two New Zealand species of Thelotrema with large, brown ascospores, namely T. manosporum and T. saxatile C. Knight. The situation of the genus Ocellularia highlights the need for detailed taxonomic revision of understudied lichen groups in New Zealand, especially as these and related genera in the Graphidaceae are excellent indicators of forest health and can be used for monitoring purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The objective of this paper was to test the hypothesis that epiphytic lichen metacommunities in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest are hierarchically structured and not only correspond to forest formations and their floristic subdivisions, but also reflect the main geopolitical regions in the study area (Northeast, Southeast, South) and particularly the division of the Atlantic Forest, along a latitudinal gradient, into a tropical and a subtropicaltemperate zone north and south of the Tropic of Capricorn. Study area: Atlantic Forest in Brazil. Methods: We employed niche distribution modeling for 245 species of four large and representative families of epiphytic lichens in the study area, using a stacked species approach to model metacommunity structure via quantitative methods of community analysis (clustering and ordination techniques). To account for sampling bias, we performed background manipulation via a bias layer. Results: We detected a hierarchical structure with three main clusters (A, B, C) subdivided into ten subclusters. Both the main clusters and each of the subclusters correlated strongly with environmental variables and latitude and featured statistically significant, characteristic indicator species, and the subclusters matched floristic subdivisions of the main forest formations recognized in the study area. There was a significant correlation of the three main clusters with the three geopolitical regions in the study area which after all also reflect ecogeographical features. The main separation between the two northern (A, B) and the southern cluster (C) almost precisely followed the division of the Atlantic Forest by the Tropic of Capricorn, supports the notion that the latter is an important delineator in biome formation, reflected by epiphytic lichen metacommunities. Conclusion: We conclude that modeling metacommunities via a stacked species approach is a powerful tool, also to elaborate baseline data for future monitoring of metacommunities in relation to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During ecological studies on corticolous lichens in Restinga vegetation in northeastern Brazil, many species of crustose Caliciaceae formerly placed in the collective genus Buellia s.l. were collected. A new species was discovered and is described here—Gassicurtia restingiana D.S.Andrade, M.Cáceres & Aptroot differs from G. catasema in the absence of lichexanthone. Two identification keys are provided, one for all species of Gassicurtia known from Brazil, and one for crustose, epiphytic, non-mazaediate species of Caliciaceae found in Restinga areas in northeastern Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Together with Graphidaceae and Trypetheliaceae, Pyrenulaceae forms part of the "big three", the three most speciose, chiefly tropical microlichen families. Microlichens are the most diverse component of tropical lichen communities, with numerous species still to be discovered. Following previous analyses of Graphidaceae and Trypetheliaceae, here we present a global species richness estimate for Pyrenulaceae, using a recently devised method based on a global grid system. We refined this approach by using an iterative adjustment to estimate mean predicted grid range per species from a grid frequency histogram. We also adjusted a previously implemented randomization approach to estimate error margins. Our results showed a global estimate for Pyrenulaceae of (395–)441(–453) species world-wide, 307 of which are currently known, thus an overall predicted increase of over 40%. This includes 416 known and predicted tropical and 25 known, exclusively temperate species, the latter assumed to remain unchanged. While the robustness of the global prediction depends on accurately setting grid sampling scores, individual predicted grid richness varies according to additional factors such as evolutionary history. In addition to undescribed species contribution to predicted richness, we hypothesize that species delimitation studies in presumably widespread taxa will reveal refined species concepts with narrower ranges, thus further increasing estimated global richness. The comparison of predicted richness values for the three families Graphidaceae, Trypetheliaceae and Pyrenulaceae with regard to their evolutionary ages highlights this rather robust method as a promising tool to circumvent sampling and knowledge bias when assessing speciation and diversification patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phylogenetic analysis of some foliicolous lichens collected in Hainan Province, China, revealed a new lineage morphologically similar to Porina but phylogenetically related to Strigulaceae (Dothideomycetes), differing from the latter in ascus type. The monospecific genus Tenuitholiascus gen. nov. is introduced for the single species, T. porinoides sp. nov., which is placed in the new, monogeneric family Tenuitholiascaceae, sister to Strigulaceae in Strigulales. The new taxon closely resembles the genus Porina in external morphology and ascospore type, as well as the thin-walled asci and unbranched paraphyses. Yet, it is entirely unrelated to the latter, which belongs in class Lecanoromycetes in the order Gyalectales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foliicolous lichenized fungi (FLF) are widely distributed in tropical forests. The Brazilian Atlantic rainforest, one of the most diverse rainforest biomes, has multiple phyto‐physiognomies. Montane forest fragments or forest refuges, so‐called "Brejos," are located within the semiarid Caatinga in Northeast Brazil. Our objective was to determine the FLF diversity within five Brejos and to analyze their biogeographic affinities within the Neotropics. The FLF biota of the Brejos was compared with that of 21 sites belonging to seven other rainforest biomes, ranging from the Atlantic rainforest in Argentina, to montane rainforests in Ecuador, to the Amazonia basin, and rainforests in Central America. One hundred and fifty‐six species were identified in the Brejos. This biota is most similar to that of the Atlantic rainforest and eastern Amazonia, while that of western Amazonia is more similar to that of the Andes and rainforests in Central America (Chocó). Multiple species identified in the Brejos have a wide distribution in tropical America, and only 11 are potentially endemic. Few other species have also a restricted distribution. The FLF biota of the Chocó and western Amazon is substantially richer than that of eastern Amazon, the Atlantic rainforest and the Brejos. This suggests that the biota of the latter areas is largely a depauperate subset of the Chocó and the western Amazon region. We argue that the major differences between the two large regions are related to the Pleistocene and Pliocene, when paleoclimatic and geological changes caused the isolation of the Brejos and the temporary fragmentation particularly of eastern Amazonia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three species of lichenized basidiomycetes in the Dictyonema clade from southeastern North America are described as new to science: Cyphellostereum georgianum, C. jamesianum and Dictyonema lawreyi, all with a crustose-filamentous growth form. Based on ITS sequences, the species form well-supported monophyletic clades in a phy-logeny and are represented by at least two specimens each. They are also distinguishable by morphological and anatomical characters. These new findings emphasize the importance of lichenological studies in North America, especially in historically understudied taxonomic groups, such as basidiolichens. This study is dedicated to James D. Lawrey on the occasion of his 70th birthday. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phylogenetic studies revealed a high level of diversity within the lichen-forming fungus so far identified with the name Maronina multifera (Protoparmelioideae, Parmeliaceae), currently accommodated in the genus Neoprotoparmelia. Here, six new species of Neoprotoparmelia are described as new to science based on morphological and molecular data, mostly from northeastern Brazil. The new species are: Neoprotoparmelia nigra (Brazil), with 32-spored asci, lacking alectoronic acid, and with pale, K-negative apothecial base, and blackish apothecial disc; N. paramultifera (Brazil), with 64-spored asci, alectoronic acid, pale, K-negative apothecial base, and purplish brown apothecial disc and thick apothecial margins; N. pseudomultifera (Brazil), with 32-spored asci, lacking alectoronic acid, and with pale, K-negative apothecial base and brown apothecial disc (no reddish or purplish tinge); N. purpurea (Brazil), with 32-spored asci, lacking alectoronic acid, and with pigmented, K+ purplish-violet apothecial base and purplish brown apothecial disc; N. rubrofusca (Colombia), with 32-spored asci, lacking alectoronic acid, and with pigmented, K+ purplish-violet apothecial base, and red-brown apothecial disc and thin, evanescent margins; and N. sexdecimspora (Brazil), with 16-spored asci, alectoronic acid, pale, K-negative apothecial base, and purplish brown apothecial disc. The name N. multifera is restricted to a species from the northern Andes with 64-spored asci, alectoronic acid, pale, K-negative apothecial base, and purplish brown apothecial disc with thin margins, while the new combination N. camptotheca is adopted for a species in eastern Brazil with 32-spored asci, alectoronic acid, pale, K-negative apothecial base, purplish brown apothecial disc, and smooth margin (all other species in the complex having crenulate margins). The following two new combinations are also proposed: Neoprotoparmelia saxicola and N. rogersii (syn.: N. capensis V.J.Rico, A.Crespo & Garima Singh). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We provide an updated survey for Sri Lanka of species of Graphis sensu Staiger, recently divided into Graphis s. str. and Allographa , including brief descriptions and a key to all 124 species currently known. Six new species are described: Allographa bambusicola Weerakoon, Lücking & Aptroot, a bambusicolous Allographa with entire labia, a laterally carbonized excipulum, 80–100 × 15–17 µm large, muriform ascospores and a rather thick, irregularly verrucose lateral thalline margin of the lirellae; A. weerasooriyana Weerakoon, Arachchige & Lücking, a corticolous Allographa resembling A. rustica Kremp. in overall anatomy and chemistry, but with a verrucose thalline margin of the lirellae and labia not distinctly raised above the thalline margin; Graphis flosculifera Weerakoon, Lücking & Aptroot, a corticolous Graphis resembling G. insulana but differing in the unique disposition of the lirellae and the slightly more elongate ascospores; G. rajapakshana Weerakoon, Lücking & Aptroot, a corticolous Graphis resembling G. desquamescens , including in ascospore size, but with lirellae with a distinct lateral thalline margin; G. rimosothallina Weerakoon, Lücking & Aptroot, a corticolous Graphis with a thick, uneven, rimose thallus and Fissurina -like lirellae, a completely carbonized excipulum and transversely 7-septate ascospores, 32–37 × 8–10 µm; and G. thunsinhalayensis Weerakoon, Arachchige & Lücking, a corticolous Graphis resembling G. subalbostriata but with smaller ascospores and lacking white lines between the striae of the labia. We also validate the name G. verrucoserpens Lücking. A total of 106 species are reported here for the first time from Sri Lanka. A biogeographical comparison with two other well-sampled countries (Costa Rica and Thailand) revealed a significantly higher similarity in species composition with Costa Rica than between Thailand and Costa Rica, suggesting a potential signature of the 'biotic ferry' hypothesis, that is the migration of lineages from Gondwana (partly corresponding to the modern Neotropics) via the north-eastwards drifting Indian subcontinent and subsequent interchange with Laurasia (partly corresponding to the modern eastern Paleotropics). However, the evolutionary timeline of the clades involved does not support this hypothesis and suggests an alternative explanation of geologically more recent mid- to long-distance dispersal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]