One hundred new species of lichenized fungi: a signature of undiscovered global diversity

In this study we present an analysis of the Pyrenula ochraceoflava group (Pyrenulaceae), focusing on the Neotropics and based on morphological, chemical, and molecular data of the mtSSU, nuLSU and ITS markers. We described three new species from tropical dry forests of Mexico, confirm the monophyly of the P. ochraceoflava group and provide evidence for the inclusion of species currently placed in the genus Mazaediothecium within Pyrenula. Pyrenula aurantiacoretis sp. nov. is characterized by an orange pigment covering the thallus in net-like fashion, muriform ascospores with 4 rows of 1–4 cells each, 12–15.5 × 8–10.5 µm, and 7-chloroemodin and emodin as major compounds. Pyrenula connexa sp. nov. is closely related to Mazaediothecium album, being characterized by mazaedioid pyrenocarps, basal and lateral excipular carbonization, highly variable mature ascospores, 1-septate to submuriform, thallus with abundant white verrucae, and lichexanthone as major compound. Pyrenula moldenkeorum sp. nov. is characterized by an orange thallus, submuriform ascospores that frequently show pigmented septa forming a cross septation pattern, 7.5–11 × 5.5–8.5 µm in size, and 7-chloroemodin and emodin as major compounds. The taxonomy of the most common and widespread species of the group, P. ochraceoflava and P. ochraceoflavens, is briefly discussed, presenting evidence to support the consideration of P. ochraceoflava as a species complex. The two species Mazaedothecium album and M. mohamedii are transferred to Pyrenula as P. aptrootiana nom. nov. [non Pyrenula alba (Schrad.) A.Massal.] and P. mohamedii comb. nov.

ResumenLa riqueza de especies de líquenes de México no se conoce con certeza. Se estima, por ejemplo, que sólo en la porción tropical del país puede haber 3 600 especies que es la mitad de las calculadas para todo el neotrópico. Si se toma en cuenta que México es también diverso en climas y tipos de vegetación no tropicales, el número de especies de líquenes quizás alcance las 5 000. De ser así, el país ocuparía el segundo lugar en este rubro entre los países neotropicales, después de Brasil (4 900 especies, sólo en sus partes tropicales) y representaría del 18-37% de las especies de líquenes a nivel mundial, que es estimado entre 13 500 y 20 000. Pero el conocimiento de la flora liquenológica de México está todavía lejos de completarse. Se estima que a la fecha hay registro de alrededor del 50% de las especies de líquenes del país. El objetivo es presentar un conteo actualizado de las especies de líquenes conocidas para México. En este trabajo se contabilizaron 2 722 especies y 111 categorías infraespecíficas. Están agrupadas en 2 divisiones, 2 subdivisiones, 6 clases, 21 órdenes, 84 familias y 364 géneros. El 90% de las especies son clorolíquenes y el resto cianolíquenes. La mayoría de ellas tienen forma de crecimiento costrosa (62%), les siguen las foliosas (28%) y las fruticosas (11%). El sustrato más común donde crecen es la corteza de los árboles (46%), seguido por las rocas (34%), hojas (11%) y suelo (10%). El tipo de vegetación con más riqueza de líquenes es el bosque templado (947especies), seguido por el matorral xerófilo (544), el bosque tropical húmedo (391), el bosque estacionalmente seco (386) y el bosque húmedo de montaña (230). Los estados con más especies de líquenes son Baja California (710), Veracruz (700), Sonora (516), Chihuahua (515) y Baja California Sur (511), y aquellos con menos especies son Campeche (17), Aguascalientes (2) y Tabasco (1), pero esto refleja más la disparidad de los estudios liquenológicos entre estados que sus diferencias reales en diversidad de líquenes.AbstractMexican lichen species richness is not known with certainty. It is estimated, for example, that 3 600 species could occur only on its tropical parts, which is half of the total estimated for the Neotropics. Considering Mexico’s climate and non-tropical vegetation diversity, the number of lichen species, as some authors estimate, may reach 5 000. Therefore, the country would be only second to Brazil (4 900 lichen species in its tropical parts) among the Neotropical countries and it could harbor between 18-37% of the 13 500 to 20 000 estimated species worldwide. We consider that only near 50% of the Mexican lichen species have been recorded. The goal is to present an updated account of the known lichen species for Mexico. Herein, 2 722 species and 111 infraspecific categories grouped in 2 divisions, 2 subdivisions, 6 classes, 21 orders, 84 families, and 64 genera are recorded. Ninety percent of the species are chlorolichens and the remaining 10% cyanolichens. Crustose lichens are the most frequent growth form (62%), followed by foliose (28%), and fruticose forms (11%). The most common substrate is bark (46%), followed by rocks (34%), leaves (11%) and soil (10%). Temperate forest is the species richest type of vegetation (947 species), followed by xerophytic scrubland (544), tropical humid forest (391), seasonal dry forest (386) and humid mountain forest (230). The states with higher number of lichen species are Baja California (710), Veracruz (700), Sonora (518), Chihuahua (515) and Baja California Sur (511), and those with less species are Campeche (17), Aguascalientes (2) and Tabasco (1). However, these figures reflect more the disparity in the number of studies conducted in each state than real differences in lichen diversity among states

Three species of Graphis (Graphidaceae) are described from Mexico from two research stations of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM): Chamela Biological Station in the Cuixmala-Chamela Biosphere Reserve, Jalisco, and Los Tuxtlas Tropical Biological Station in the Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve, Veracruz. The new species Graphis bungartzii Barcenas-Peña, Lücking, Herrera-Campos & R. Miranda is characterized by erumpent lirellae with a lateral thalline margin, striate labia and laterally carbonized exciple, transversely septate ascospores, and norstictic and connorstictic acids. Graphis chamelensis Barcenas-Peña & Lücking has prominent lirellae with a basal to lateral thalline margin, entire labia and completely carbonized exciple, transversely septate ascospores, and norstictic acid. Finally, Graphis rosae-emiliae Barcenas-Peña & Lücking is characterized by erumpent lirellae with lateral thalline margin, striate labia and completely carbonized exciple, transversely septate ascospores, and no substances detected by TLC. We present updates to the world key to Graphis for 41 newly described or reinstated species since the world key was published in 2009. The following new combination is proposed: Pallidogramme parvicarpum (B. O. Sharma & Khadilkar) Lücking comb. nov., based on Graphis parvicarpa B. O. Sharma & Khadilkar.

Twelve new lichenized species are described in Arthoniales and Ostropales from seasonally dry tropical forest in Mexico: eight in Graphidaceae, one in Gomphillaceae, and one each in Arthoniaceae, Roccellaceae, and Opegraphaceae. The new species are: Acanthothecis alba Herrera-Camp., Barcenas-Peña & Lücking, differing from A. poitaeoides in the erumpent to prominent ascomata with partially exposed disc and the relatively broader ascospores; Bactrospora lecanorina Herrera-Camp., Altamirano & Lücking, differing from the other species with patellarioides-type ascospores by the zeorine ascomata, in combination with narrow ascospores; Cryptothecia chamelensis Herrera-Camp., Bautista & Lücking, differing from C. inexpectata and C. irregularis in the perlatolic acid chemistry and the much smaller ascospores; Fissurina aperta Herrera-Camp., Barcenas-Peña & Lücking, differing from F. adscripturiens and F. novae-zelandiae by its exposed, disc and thin, erect margins; F. cinereodisca Altamirano, Colín & N.Sánchez, differing from F. furfuracea in the shorter ascomata with grey disc and thin, margin; F. jaliscoensis Herrera-Camp., Barcenas-Peña & Lücking, differing from F. subnitida in the shorter lirellae with exposed disc and thin margins; F. reticulata R. Miranda, Herrera Camp. & Lücking, differing from F. tuckermaniana by its muriform ascospores; F. tenuimarginata Herrera-Camp., Barcenas-Peña & Lücking, differing from F. cinereodisca in the smaller lirellae with yellowish-translucent disc and thinner margin; Gyalideopsis caespitosa Barcenas-Peña, Herrera-Camp. & Lücking, differing from other species of the genus in the initially zeorine apothecia and the sessile hyphophores with caespitose diahyphae; Ocellularia tomatlanensis Herrera-Camp., Colín & Lücking, differing from other Ocellularia species with small, transversely septate, hyaline ascospores and protocetraric acid by the absence of a columella; Phaeographis sarcographoides Herrera-Camp., N.Sánchez & Lücking, differing from other species of Phaeographis with inspersed hymenium, 3-septate ascospores, and lack of secondary substances, in the robust, prominent to sessile ascomata with often dissected disc; and Vigneronia mexicana Herrera-Camp., Bautista & Lücking, sp. nov., differing from V. spierii in the prominent to sessile ascomata with brown margin and light grey-pruinose disc. The new combination Vigneronia caceresiana (Kalb & Aptroot) Lücking & Herrera-Camp., comb. nov., is also proposed.