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Cladonia rubrotincta, a new species distinct from C. norvegica

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 October 2025

Věra Vtípilová Open the ORCID record for Věra Vtípilová [Opens in a new window] ,
Einar Timdal Open the ORCID record for Einar Timdal [Opens in a new window] ,
Eva Stodůlková Open the ORCID record for Eva Stodůlková [Opens in a new window] ,
Jaroslav Semerád Open the ORCID record for Jaroslav Semerád [Opens in a new window] ,
Philipp Resl Open the ORCID record for Philipp Resl [Opens in a new window]  and
Jana Steinová Open the ORCID record for Jana Steinová [Opens in a new window]
Věra Vtípilová
Affiliation:
Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles University, 12801 Prague, Czechia Institute for Environmental Studies, Faculty of Science, Charles University, 12801 Prague, Czechia
Einar Timdal
Affiliation:
Natural History Museum, University of Oslo , Blindern, NO-0318 Oslo, Norway
Eva Stodůlková
Affiliation:
Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 142 20 Prague, Czechia
Jaroslav Semerád
Affiliation:
Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 142 20 Prague, Czechia
Philipp Resl
Affiliation:
Institute of Biology, University of Graz , 8010 Graz, Austria
Jana Steinová*
Affiliation:
Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles University, 12801 Prague, Czechia
*
Corresponding author: Jana Steinová; Email: jana.steinova@natur.cuni.cz
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Abstract

Cladonia norvegica was originally described from Norway based on different morphological and chemical characters distinguishing the species from C. coniocraea. Shortly after its description, material containing red spots on the thallus was reported from different parts of the world, but the taxonomic status of this form remained unclear. In this study, we investigated the morphological, chemical and genetic differences between the spotless form of C. norvegica and the red-spotted material. Phylogenetic analyses of mycobiont DNA (ITS rDNA, mtSSU, EF-1α) revealed that red-spotted specimens form a well-supported monophyletic clade, distinct from the spotless form of C. norvegica. We therefore describe red-spotted material as a new species, C. rubrotincta, with the type from Norway and we genetically and morphologically confirm occurrences from Austria, Czechia, Estonia, Great Britain and western Canada. The identity of the red pigment was confirmed to be a rhodocladonic acid by HPLC and LC-HRMS. Specimens with red spots exhibit consistently smaller and more irregularly shaped podetia. Additionally, our analysis of photobionts indicated that both species share a similar pool of Asterochloris symbionts. This study underscores the importance of integrating molecular, chemical, and morphological data in lichen taxonomy and provides insights into the distribution and ecological preferences of C. rubrotincta and C. norvegica.

Keywords

AsterochlorisHPLC UV-VISLC-HRMSlichenOchroleucaephylogenetic analysisrhodocladonic acid

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Type
Standard Paper
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The Lichenologist , First View , pp. 1 - 13
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the British Lichen Society

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Footnotes

*

Contributed equally

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