Herteliana schuyleriana (Squamarinaceae), a new crustose lichen widespread in the Appalachian Mountains of eastern North America

Herteliana schuyleriana is described as new to science based on collections from throughout the Appalachian Mountains of eastern North America. Taxonomic placement is inferred from molecular phylogenic analysis of mtSSU sequence data that recovered the taxon as sister to the type species of Herteliana, H. gagei, and strongly supported these taxa as embedded within the Squamarinaceae. The new species is characterized by its occurrence on non-calcareous shaded rocks in inland forested habitats (vs. exposed maritime oceanic habitats), its greenish-blue crustose thallus, presence of abundant blastidia on the thallus surface, frequent sterility, and by the production of roccellic/angardianic acid together with occasional trace amounts of psoromic acid as accessories to atranorin.

本研究基于采自北美东部阿巴拉契亚山脉全域的标本，将Herteliana schuyleriana描述为科学新种。其分类地位通过基于线粒体小亚基（mtSSU）序列数据的分子系统发育分析推导得出：分析结果显示该类群与赫特尔氏菌属的模式种H. gagei互为姊妹群，且有力支持该类群隶属于鳞叶衣科（Squamarinaceae）。该新种的鉴别特征如下：生长于内陆森林生境的非钙质荫蔽岩石之上（相较于暴露的海洋沿岸生境）；具蓝绿色壳状地衣体（crustose thallus）；地衣体表面分布有大量芽殖体（blastidia）；常处于不育状态；可合成罗切莱酸（roccellic acid）与安加迪安酸（angardianic acid），并伴随偶见痕量的psoromic酸（psoromic acid）作为黑茶渍素（atranorin）的附属伴生代谢产物。