Aspiciliella pakistanica K. Habib, Q. Firdous, Sohrabi & Khalid

Habib, Kamran, Firdous, Qudsia, Sohrabi, Mohammad & Khalid, Abdul Nasir, 2021, Aspiciliella pakistanica a new lichen species (Megasporaceae, Pertusariales, Ascomycota) from Pakistan, Phytotaxa 511 (2), pp. 175-182 : 179-180

Aspiciliella pakistanica K. Habib, Q. Firdous, Sohrabi & Khalid

MycoBank No: 838033

Diagnosis: The taxon is characterized by a whitish–grey thallus, 0.8–1.5 mm thick, with areoles 1–4.2 mm wide without pale lines on the surface and a discontinuous algal layer arranged in groups of vertical rows.

Etymology: The specific epithet pakistanica (Latin) refers to the country of origin of this species

Typus: PAKISTAN. Azad Jammu & Kashmir: Muzaffarabad, Pir Chinasi, 34° 23′ 20.76″ N, 73° 32′ 59.64″ E, 2,900 m a.s.l.; on rocks; August 3, 2018, T. S. Ullah & K. Habib PC –15 ( LAH 36686– Holotype) and Isotype ( ICH – Isotype) .

Thallus: crustose, areolate to rimose areolate, 5 to 8 cm wide, epruinose. Areoles: 1–4.2 mm wide and 0.8–1.5 mm thick, thicker centrally but thinner toward the periphery, broadly attached to stipitate, separated by distinct cracks, discrete to rarely contiguous, smooth to thinly wrinkled, angular or irregular, replicating by division, flat to weakly convex. Upper surface whitish–grey in the field, becoming pale yellow-brown to brown in the herbarium. Lower surface dark brown to black. Prothallus: not apparent. Upper Cortex: 10–20 µm thick, smooth, upper layer dark gray–brown, hyaline adjacent to the algal layer, paraplectenchymtous, textura globularis, cells 5–10 µm in diam. Algal layer: discontinuous, clustered in groups, arranged in vertical rows; rows 30–50 µm wide and 65–120 µm high, hyaline between the gaps. Photobiont chlorococcoid, cells ± spherical, 10–15 µm in diam. Medulla: 300–570 µm thick, corresponding with size of the areole, hyphae prosoplectenchymatous, 3–5 µm wide. Pycnidia: immersed, rare, colorless, indistinct, 300–380 µm high × 140–230 µm wide. Conidiospores: 15–25 × 1–2.5 µm. Conidia: acrogenous, filiform, straight, hyaline, 8–12 × 0.5–1 µm.

Spot tests: Cortex; K+ (yellowish–red), C–, KC–. Medulla; K–, C–, KC–.

Ecology: Saxicolous in a temperate climate at an altitude of 2900 m a.s.l., rain and sun exposed, with surrounding trees Abies pindrow (Royle ex D.Don)Royle , Cedrus deodara (Roxb.) G.Don , Pinus roxburghii Sarg. , Pinus wallichiana Jacks and Picea smithiana, (Wall.) Boiss dominant and hilly topography, having a maximum and minimum temperature of 34 oC and –3 oC, respectively and annual rainfall varying from 1400–1800 mm. The second collection was found at an elevation of 3000 m a.s.l in the partially forested Kaghan valley, with mean maximum and minimum temperature of 32°C and –2°C, respectively, and temperate climate. It is a biologically, geo–physically, and hydrologically dynamic area.

Additional Specimen Examined (Paratype): PAKISTAN. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Kaghan ; 34.5417° N, 73.3500° E; 3000 m a.s.l; on rocks; July 19, 2019, A. N . Khalid & K . Habib ; K – 23 ( LAH 36686) .