A New Lichen-Forming Fungus, Aspicilia humida, from a Forested Wetland in South Korea, with a Taxonomic Key for Aspicilioid Species of Korea

Aspicilia humida Lee is described as a new lichen-forming fungus from a wetland forest, South Korea. The new species is distinguishable from Aspicilia aquatica (Fr.) Körb., the most similar species, by the absence of prothallus, black disk without green color in water, olivebrown epihymenium, shorter hymenium, hymenium I þ yellowish blue-green, wider paraphysial tips without a vivid pigment, smaller asci, smaller ascospores, and the presence of stictic acid. Molecular analyses employing internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and mitochondrial small subunit (mtSSU) sequences strongly support A. humida as a distinct species in the A. cinerea group. A surrogate key is provided to assist in the identification of all 28 aspicilioid species of Korea.

Two New Lichen Species, Thelopsis ullungdoensis and Phylloblastia gyeongsangbukensis from Korea

Two new species, Thelopsis ullungdoensis and Phylloblastia gyeongsangbukensis are described from Ullung-Do (Island), South Korea. The closest relatives from Europe and Korea are epiphytic Thelopsis flaveola which differs by their immersed or semi-immersed yellow ascomata, ascospores without halo and their habitat of smooth bark (mainly Fagus) in humid and cold climates. Thelopsis gangwondoensis differs by its bigger semi-immersed ascomata (600–700 µm in diam.), oblong halonate ascospores (8–12 × 6–8 µm) and its habitat of smooth bark of deciduous trees. P. gyeongsangbukensis differs from its relatives within the genus in having 5-septate ascospores (22–26 × 6–8 µm), semi-immersed, subglobose ascomata with a flattened top (250–400 µm) and a thin, matt, uneven gray-brown to gray-green continuous thallus without isidia.

Two New Lichen Species, Thelopsis ullungdoensis and Phylloblastia gyeongsangbukensis from Korea

Two new species, Thelopsis ullungdoensis and Phylloblastia gyeongsangbukensis are described from Ullung-Do (Island), South Korea. The closest relatives from Europe and Korea are epiphytic Thelopsis flaveola which differs by their immersed or semi-immersed yellow ascomata, ascospores without halo and their habitat of smooth bark (mainly Fagus) in humid and cold climates. Thelopsis gangwondoensis differs by its bigger semi-immersed ascomata (600–700 µm in diam.), oblong halonate ascospores (8–12 × 6–8 µm) and its habitat of smooth bark of deciduous trees. P. gyeongsangbukensis differs from its relatives within the genus in having 5-septate ascospores (22–26 × 6–8 µm), semi-immersed, subglobose ascomata with a flattened top (250–400 µm) and a thin, matt, uneven gray-brown to gray-green continuous thallus without isidia.

Arthonia dokdoensis and Rufoplaca toktoana – Two New Taxa from Dokdo Islands (South Korea)

Arthonia dokdoensis sp. nov., a lichenicolous fungus from the subcosmopolitan Arthonia molendoi complex growing on crustose thalli of species of the genus Orientophila (subfamily Xanthorioideae, Teloschistaceae), as well as the lichen species Rufoplaca toktoana sp. nov. (subfamily Caloplacoideae, Teloschistaceae) similar to Rufoplaca kaernefeltiana, both from Dokdo Islands, Republic of Korea, are described, illustrated, and compared with closely related taxa. In the phylogenetic tree of the Arthoniaceae based on 12S mtSSU and RPB2 gene sequences, the phylogenetic position of the A. dokdoensis and the relationship with the A. molendoi group are illustrated, while the position of the newly described R. toktoana is confirmed by phylogenetic tree based on ITS nrDNA data.

Three New Species and Nine New Records in the Genus Arthonia from South Korea

Arthonia coreana, Arthonia superpallens, and Arthonia zelkovae are new species from South Korea. All new species are in the Euarthonia tribe, based on the key characteristics of colorless hypothecium and multi-cellular spores. A. coreana has a dull brownish hypophloedal thallus without bleaching and rounded or curved big apothecia in comparison with those of Arthonia punctiformis. A. coreana consistently exhibits 4-septate ascospores, which is a distinctive characteristic that distinguishes it from other Arthonia species. A. superpallens has a white-greenish thallus, pale yellowish apothecia, and a trentepohlioid alga. However, A. superpallens has no distinct prothallus, adnate, and convex apothecia, no pycnidia, and is UV-, in contrast with related species in the Arthonia antillarum group. A. zelkovae has a white, epiphloedal thallus, brownish-black epruinose apothecia covered with a whitish bark layer, and smaller ascospores in comparison with those of A. punctiformis. A. zelkovae consists of a chlorococcoid alga, which differs from related Arthonia species such as A. punctiformis, Arthonia pinastri, and Arthonia glaucella. Although A. zelkovae is similar to Arthonia dispersa in its white-colored thallus, blackish apothecia, and the presence of a chlorococcoid photobiont, A. zelkovae differs from the latter in having larger-sized 3-septate ascospores. Arthonia cinnabarina f. marginata, A. glaucella, Arthonia ilicinella, Arthonia lapidicola, Arthonia leioplacella, Arthonia pertabescens, A. pinastri, Arthonia spadicea, and Arthonia stellaris are newly described in Korea. The diagnostic characteristics of these species are discussed and presented. An artificial key is provided to facilitate identification of Arthonia species from Northeast Asia.