Lamprospora benkertii sp. nov., and an evaluation of Lamprospora spp. with seaveri-type ascospore ornamentation

Abstract

Lamprospora benkertii is described as a new species based on collections from Georgia, Germany, Norway, Slovakia, and Switzerland. It is characterized by orange apothecia without a fimbriate margin, globose ascospores with a seaveri -type ornamentation comprising strong ridges forming a reticulum and a secondary reticulum formed by fine ridges within the meshes of the primary reticulum. The fungus infects rhizoids of Trichostomum crispulum. Delineation of the new species is supported by LSU and EF1α sequence analyses. Lamprospora benkertii is compared with other Lamprospora species with a seaveri -type or similar ascospore ornamentation: L. ascoboloides, L. cailletii, L. dicranellae, L. funigera, L. hispanica, L. irregulariata, L. leptodictya, L. norvegica, L. paechnatzii, L. seaveri. We also present an updated key for this group of species as well as a more complete description of L. hispanica based on our observations from several collections. New host specificity data are provided for L. hispanica, L. leptodictya, L. norvegica, and L. paechnatzii.