A new lichenicolous species of Carbonea (Ascomycota, Lecanoraceae) from northern Sweden

Carbonea is a widely distributed genus of lecideoid fungi, including both lichenized and non-lichenized, often parasitic species. We describe the new, non-lichenized species Carbonea tephromelae, based on material collected in the Swedish part of the Scandes. The new species is characterized by a colourless hypothecium, broadly ellipsoid to globose ascospores, and by growing on the thallus of the common saxicolous lichen Tephromela atra. It is similar to the likewise lichenicolous species C. supersparsa and C. vitellinaria, but is clearly separated from these species by anatomy and in a phylogenetic analysis based on four markers (mrSSU, ITS, RPB1, RPB2). Carbonea tephromelae is apparently specific to T. atra, but the use of host specificity as a character for species delimitation in lichenicolous species of Carbonea needs further evaluation.

Automated summary

Carbonea tephromelae is a newly described non-lichenized fungal species, characterized by a colorless hypothecium, broadly ellipsoid to globose ascospores, and growing on the thallus of Tephromela atra. It is distinct from similar species and further evaluation is needed on the use of host specificity as a character for species delimitation in lichenicolous species of Carbonea.