New Lichen Species Discovered in New Caledonia

In MycoKeys volume 140 (pages 79–101), Nora Helene Borg, Mats Wedin, Einar Timdal, María Prieto, and Antoine Simon report the discovery of two previously unknown species within the genus Bunodophoron (Sphaerophoraceae, Lecanorales) from montane rainforests on Grande Terre, New Caledonia.¹.net]

The paper is available as HTML, XML, and PDF formats.¹.net]

Fieldwork across the region’s high‑altitude forests yielded specimens that exhibited distinctive morphological traits. The authors performed an integrative analysis combining traditional morphology with chemical profiling via thin‑layer chromatography and DNA sequencing for four loci: ITS, β‑tubulin, MCM7, and RPB1. This multi‑locus strategy enabled precise phylogenetic reconstruction against a global framework incorporating related taxa from Australasia, the Neotropics, and the Paleotropics.¹.net]

Within this context, the researchers identified four Bunodophoron species present in New Caledonia, including two new to science: Bunodophoron flagellare Ant.Simon, N.Borg & Wedin, sp. nov., and Bunodophoron imbricatum Ant.Simon, N.Borg & Wedin, sp. nov. Both species are distinguished by unique combinations of thallus structure, apothecial features, and secondary metabolite profiles revealed during chromatographic screening.¹.net]

Expert analysis highlights how the use of multiple genetic markers—especially protein‑coding genes like MCM7 and RPB1 alongside the standard ITS region—increases resolution across closely related lichen lineages. A 2019 MycoKeys study investigating crustose lichens in Patagonia employed a comparable multi‑marker approach, underscoring a growing trend toward comprehensive frameworks for lichen taxonomy.¹.net]

The discovery expands knowledge of New Caledonian biodiversity, an area already known for its high endemism yet still underexplored for fungal diversity. By integrating morphological, chemical, and molecular data, the authors provide robust evidence that these two taxa represent distinct evolutionary lineages within Bunodophoron, thereby refining our understanding of Lecanorales phylogeny.¹.net]