A new species of Circinaria (C. yiae) from China revealed by morphological and molecular evidence, with the elevation of C. hispidoides to species rank

A new species of Circinaria (C. yiae) from China revealed by morphological and molecular evidence, with the elevation of C. hispidoides to species rank

A survey of lichen diversity in the eastern Inner Mongolia (Northeast China) has revealed a new species of the genus Circinaria described herein based on morphological and molecular evidence. The new species, Circinaria yiae, is characterized by its saxicolous, crustose, rimose to areolate, greyish olive-brown thallus surrounded by a white-grey prothallus. Peripheral lobes of thalli are enlarged and elongated, giving it a lobate appearance. Central areoles are moderately to strongly convex, producing pseudocyphellae and forming simple or branched suberect to prostrate projections. Thallus lacks secondary lichen metabolites. Phylogenetic analysis including other Circinaria species showed that the new taxon is phylogenetically close to Aspicilia (Circinaria) wyomingensis that differs from the newly described species by growing on soil and plant detritus, forming rhizomorphs, and containing aspicilin. Aspicilia desertorum var. aspera f. hispidoides Mereschk. is moved to Circinaria and raised to the species rank, C. hispidoides.