Lendemeriella vaczii, a new lichenized fungal species from Antarctic Peninsula-with a key to the genus Lendemeriella

Abstract

Lichens are most dominant elements of Antarctic terrestrial vegetation, however, they are still not well known. In this paper, Lendemerialla vaczii is described as a new lichen la, based on morphology and phylogenetic analysis. The new species is characterized by brownish cream or buff-colored areolate thallus lacking vegetative propagules, black and lecideine apothecia and very thin (up to 1 mu m) septa in ascospores. Phylogenetic analysis of nrITS sequence data shows that new species clusters in the genus Lendemeriella with a high bootstrap support. The new species is compared with other Lendemeriella species and other related crustose Teloschistaceae species without anthraquinones and a comprehensive description is provided. An identification key to 10 species of Lendemeriella is also provided.