Thamnolecania yunusii (Ramalinaceae) – A new species of lichenised fungus from Horseshoe Island (Antarctic Peninsula)

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Abstract The new terricolous lichen speciesThamnolecania yunusiiHalıcı, Güllü, Bölükbaşı & Kahraman, which is characterised by its cream to greyish brown granulose-crustose thallus without vegetative propagules, is described from Horseshoe Island in the South-West Antarctic Peninsula region. AllThamnolecaniaspecies are known only from the Antarctic. The only species of the genus with a crustose thallus isT.racovitzae, but it differs fromT.yunusiiby growing on rocks, having an effuse to subeffigurate thallus that is sometimes isidiate and with shorter and narrower ascospores (c.15 × 3.5 µmvs.15.5–19.5 × 3.5–5.5 µm). The nrITS, mtSSU and RPB1 gene regions of the new species were studied and the phylogenetic position of the species was shown to be in the same clade asThamnolecania gerlachei,T.brialmontiiandT.racovitzae, but occurs on a different branch from these species. AsT.yunusiiis an Antarctic endemic, like the otherThamnolecaniaspecies, and most of the morphological characters fit well with this genus, we describe this new species under the genusThamnolecania.