Gowardia zebrina sp. nov., a new species in a little-known genus of arctic-alpine lichens (Parmeliaceae)

The fruticose lichen genus Gowardia (Parmeliaceae) was recently segregated from Alectoria based on phylogeny, morphology, secondary chemistry, ecology and distribution. As currently circumscribed, Gowardia comprises two wide-ranging species of arctic-alpine regions. Here we describe a third species, G. zebrina sp. nov., apparently endemic to subalpine regions in mountainous northwestern North America. Gowardia zebrina differs from other species in the genus by its combined subpendent habit, uniformly capillary branches, predominantly isotomic branching, pale-and-dark banding of the terminal branches, and epiphytic ecology. Morphological examination of North American herbarium specimens filed under A. nigricans suggests the existence of several additional undescribed species of Gowardia. A brief overview of morphological diversity in these species is given, shedding new light on the question of whether Gowardia should be subsumed under Alectoria, as some have suggested, or is more appropriately recognized as a distinct genus.Peer reviewe

Taxonomy of Verrucaria species characterised by large spores, perithecia leaving pits in the rock and a pale thin thallus in Finland

Correction: 10.3897/mycokeys.80.67870.Species of Verrucaria, characterised by large spores (at least some spores exceeding 25 mu m in length), perithecia leaving pits in the rock and a pale thin thallus, form a taxonomically-difficult and poorlyknown group. In this study, such species occurring in Finland are revised, based on ITS sequences and morphology. Maximum likelihood analysis of ITS sequence data was used to examine if the species belong to the Thelidium group, as suggested by BLAST search. Twelve species are accepted in Finland: Verrucaria bifurcata sp. nov., V. cavernarum sp. nov., V. devergens, V. difficilis sp. nov., V. foveolata, V. fuscozonata sp. nov., V. karelica, V. kuusamoensis sp. nov., V. subdevergens sp. nov., V. subjunctiva, V. subtilis and V. vacillans sp. nov. Verrucaria foveolata is nested in V. subjunctiva in the phylogeny, but due to morphological and ecogeographical differences, the two taxa are treated as separate species pending further studies. Based on the analysis, the study species belong to the Thelidium group. The studied species show a rather high infraspecific morphological, but a low genetic variation. Furthermore, they show considerable overlap in their morphology and many specimens cannot be reliably identified, based on morphology only. All species arc restricted to calcareous rocks. Verrucaria alpigena, V. cinereoruh and V. bochstetteri are excluded from the lichen flora of Finland. Verrucaria gmssa is considered a species with unresolved identity. Verrucaria foveolata and V. subtilis are rather common on calcareous rocks of Finland while V. devergens and V. kuusamoensis are restricted to northern Finland. Verrucaria subjunctiva occurs mainly in northern Finland. Verrucaria bifurcata has been found only from southern Finland. Verrucaria difficilis has few localities both in SW and NE Finland. Verrucaria vaeillans is restricted to calcareous roc ks (dolomite) on the mountains of the NW corner of Finland. Verrucaria Jiacozonata, V. karelica and V. sulideveTens occur only in the Oulanka area in NE Finland. A lectotype is designated for V. subjunctiva. The morphology of the Finnish species was compared with 51 European species of Verrucaria presumably belonging to the Theliolium group.Peer reviewe

Additions to the diversity of lichens and lichenicolous fungi living on decaying wood in Finland.

Peer reviewe

Orvo Vitikainen, an 80th birthday tribute

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Arthonia ligniariella new to Finland

Arthonia ligniariella Coppins is reported for the first time from Finland. The specimen was collected on a dead, standing pine tree in Vesijako strict nature reserve in southern Finland. It is likely an overlooked species in Finland and possibly rare. It should be looked for in old-growth forests on dead wood and bark of various tree species, as well as on moribund mosses.Peer reviewe

Growth form matters-Crustose lichens on dead wood are sensitive to forest management

Lichens have a vital role in forest ecosystems and they are a threatened group in boreal forests. However, the conservation ecology of the total lichen community has very rarely been studied. Here we studied lichen species and communities, including macrolichens (=foliose and fruticose growth forms) and rarely studied crustose li-chens, on decaying wood in boreal spruce-dominated forests in Finland. We also studied obligate lignicoles that grow only on dead wood and are mostly crustose in growth form. Species richness and community composition were examined on decaying logs and natural or cut stumps of Picea abies at different decay stages (2-5) in 14 stands, half of which were natural or seminatural and half recently managed. We used thorough search to yield a species list as close to complete as possible. Our study questions were: 1) Are species richness and lichen communities different in natural and managed forests, and if so, are there differences between macrolichens, crustose lichens and obligate lignicoles in how they respond to forest management? 2) How does the decay stage and dead wood type affect the lichens, i.e. are there differences between stumps and logs? We found a total of 127 lichen species. Most (75 %) of the recorded lichen species were crustose. With a generalized linear model we found that crustose lichens and obligate lignicoles had a higher species richness in natural than managed forests, but macrolichen richness was not significantly affected by forest management. Utilizing non-metric multidi-mensional scaling we discovered that site level community composition of macrolichens, crustose lichens and obligate lignicoles was also significantly different between natural and managed forests. We found that on dead wood unit level the decay stage had a significant effect on species richness and community composition, so that the species richness of all studied groups declined during the decay process. The dead wood type (stump vs log) had a significant effect on species richness of macrolichens and obligate lignicoles, both for which species richness was higher on logs than on stumps, as well as on the communities of crustose lichens.Peer reviewe

Lichen speciation is sparked by a substrate requirement shift and reproduction mode differentiation

Publisher Copyright: © 2022, The Author(s).We show that obligate lignicoles in lichenized Micarea are predominately asexual whereas most facultative lignicoles reproduce sexually. Our phylogenetic analyses (ITS, mtSSU, Mcm7) together with ancestral state reconstruction show that the shift in reproduction mode has evolved independently several times within the group and that facultative and obligate lignicoles are sister species. The analyses support the assumption that the ancestor of these species was a facultative lignicole. We hypothezise that a shift in substrate requirement from bark to wood leads to differentiation in reproduction mode and becomes a driver of speciation. This is the first example of lichenized fungi where reproduction mode is connected to substrate requirement. This is also the first example where such an association is demonstrated to spark lichen speciation. Our main hypothesis is that obligate species on dead wood need to colonize new suitable substrata relatively fast and asexual reproduction is more effective a strategy for successful colonization.Peer reviewe

Sharpening species boundaries in the Micarea prasina group, with a new circumscription of the type species M. prasina

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Four new epiphytic species in the Micarea prasina group from Europe

In this study we clarify the phylogeny and reassess the current taxonomy of the Micarea prasina group, focusing especially on the M. byssacea and M. micrococca complexes. The phylogeny was investigated using ITS, mtSSU and Mcm7 regions from 25 taxa belonging to the M. prasina group. A total of 107 new sequences were generated. Data were analyzed using maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood methods. The results reveal five undescribed well-supported lineages. Four of the lineages represent new species described as Micarea pseudomicrococca Launis & Myllys sp. nov., M. czarnotae Launis, van den Boom, Serusiaux & Myllys sp. nov., M. microareolata Launis, Pykala & Myllys sp. nov. and M. laeta Launis & Myllys sp. nov. In addition, a fifth lineage was revealed that requires further study. Micarea pseudomicrococca is characterized by an olive green granular thallus, small cream-white or brownish apothecia lacking the Sedifolia-grey pigment and two types of paraphyses up to 2 mu m wide. Micarea czarnotae forms a granular, densely granular or continuous olive green thallus, convex to hemispherical apothecia often with the Sedifolia-grey pigment and no crystalline granules in the thallus. Micarea microareolata is characterized by a +/- pale green areolate thallus (composed of goniocysts), cream-white apothecia lacking the Sedifolia-grey pigment and narrow spores. Micarea laeta has a vivid to olive green granular thallus, pale apothecia lacking the Sedifolia-grey pigment and wider spores compared to M. microareolata. Descriptions, images and a key are provided for the new species. Crystalline granules are introduced as a novel species-level character for Micarea.peerReviewe

Jäkälät (ml. likenikoliset sienet)

Julkaisu: Suomen Lajitietokeskus 2021: Lajiluettelo 2020. – Suomen Lajitietokeskus, Luonnontieteellinen keskusmuseo, Helsingin yliopisto, Helsinki