A new species of the genus Anamylopsora (Baeomycetaceae; Ascomycota) from Deosai National Park, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan

Usman, Muhammad; Firdous, Qudsia; Dyer, Paul S.; Khalid, Abdul Nasir

Abstract

A novel lichen species occurring on rocks was collected from three different localities within Deosai National Park, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. Phylogenetic analyses of the nrDNA ITS and nuLSU regions revealed that it clustered within the genus Anamylopsora. Further chemical and morpho-anatomical analyses confirmed its uniqueness, and it is described here as a new species under the name A. pakistanica. The distinguishing characters are: an irregularly squamulose appressed thallus on rocks without rhizines; an epinecral layer up to 25 μm thick; ascospores that are hyaline, simple, thick-walled with a smooth surface; septate paraphyses with a pigmented apical cell in a gel-like matrix; globose to subglobose pycnidia with hyaline and bacilliform pycnidiospores. In particular, the species is distinguished from other members of the genus by morpho-anatomical features including the coloration of the thalli, the presence of a thick lower cortex (up to 100 μm), and the presence of simple, thick-walled ascospores. Specimens were found at altitudes up to 4587 m, the highest elevation yet reported for Anamylopsora. A key and comparison to all existing species of the genus Anamylopsora is also given.

Citation

Usman, M., Firdous, Q., Dyer, P. S., & Khalid, A. N. (2023). A new species of the genus Anamylopsora (Baeomycetaceae; Ascomycota) from Deosai National Park, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. Lichenologist, https://doi.org/10.1017/s002428292300018x

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 11, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Jul 10, 2023
• Publication Date: 2023-07
• Deposit Date: Jul 14, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 17, 2023
• Journal: Lichenologist
• Print ISSN: 0024-2829
• Electronic ISSN: 1096-1135
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/s002428292300018x
• Keywords: Anamylopsoraceae; arctic-alpine; Asia; lichens; systematics
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/23005735
• Publisher URL: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/lichenologist/article/new-species-of-the-genus-anamylopsora-baeomycetaceae-ascomycota-from-deosai-national-park-gilgitbaltistan-pakistan/1FE4AAF0669D633FB6C426540D8F7797
• Additional Information: Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the British Lichen Society; License: This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.; Free to read: This content has been made available to all.