Cryptophaea, a new genus of byssoid Arthoniaceae (lichenized Ascomycota) and its phylogenetic position

Abstract

Cryptophaea, a new corticolous lichen genus, is described from the Congo basin as belonging to the cryptothecioid Arthoniaceae. It is characterized by (1) maculiform, tomentose, brownish ascomata lacking a distinct exciple, (2) the absence of a distinct hamathecium of paraphysoids, (3) a byssoid crustose thallus with a trentepohlioid photobiont, (4) greyish to brown (sub)muriform ascospores and (5) the presence of parietin, an anthraquinone, absent in the other cryptothecioid Arthoniaceae. At this moment the new genus is represented by only one species, Cryptophaea phaeospora sp. nov. A phylogenetic analysis of mtSSU and RPB2 sequences shows Cryptophaea as sister genus to Glomerulophoron in the cryptothecioid Arthoniaceae.