Molecular and taxonomic studies on some Acarospora (Acarosporales, Ascomycota) species in Türkiye

Abstract

Acarospora is a crustose lichen genus in the family Acarosporaceae and has a wide distribution. While the lichen genus Acarospora has more than 200 species in the world, the number of species so far determined in Türkiye is 41. Here we report three Acarospora species: A. irregularis H. Magn., A. rosulata (Th. Fr.) H. Magn., A. thamnina (Tuck.) Herre and two lichenicolous fungal species: Lichenostigma svandae Vondrák & Šoun, Stigmidium fuscatae (Arnold) R. Sant. new to Türkiye. Detailed information on these 5 taxa is provided along with photographs. The nrITS, β tubulin and mtSSU gene regions of the new Acarospora records are studied and their phylogenetical positions are discussed.