A new Lecidea species from Dismal Island (Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica) supported by morphological, chemical, and nrITS phylogenetic evidence
Vol.16,No.1(2026)
Antarctica remains one of the least explored regions of the world in terms of lichen diversity, and many remote localities still harbor undescribed taxa. In this study, a new saxicolous lichen species belonging to the genus Lecidea is described from Dismal Island, located in the East Antarctic Peninsula region, based on an integrative taxonomic approach combining morphological, anatomical, chemical, and nrITS phylogenetic evidence. The examined material was collected from ice-free rocky habitats and deposited in the Erciyes University Lichen Herbarium (ERCH). Morphological and anatomical observations were carried out using stereomicroscopy and light microscopy, while chemical characterization was performed using standard spot tests and thin-layer chromatography (TLC). Molecular analyses were based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of nuclear ribosomal DNA. The newly generated ITS sequence was analyzed together with 92 reference sequences retrieved from GenBank®, and phylogenetic relationships were inferred using Bayesian analysis. The results demonstrated that the studied specimen forms a distinct and well-supported lineage within Lecidea, clearly separated from all currently sequenced congeners. Although phylogenetically closest to members of the Lecidea atrobrunnea complex and L. syncarpa, the new species differs consistently in several diagnostic characters: (1) dark brown, dull, crustose and areolate thallus, (2) small black lecideine apothecia, (3) dark brown epihymenium, an I− medulla and hymenium, an N+ red hymenial reaction, and (4) the absence of both prothallus and pycnidia. Chemically, TLC revealed (5) norstictic acid as the major secondary metabolite. The combination of these stable, non-overlapping characters supports the recognition of the taxon as a distinct species, here named Lecidea devrimii. This study highlights the still underestimated lichen diversity of Antarctica and emphasizes the importance of integrative taxonomy in resolving species boundaries within morphologically complex lichen groups.
Antarctica; Lecidea devrimii; molecular analysis; lichen biodiversity; new species; secondary metabolites; the Faure Islands
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