Lecanoropsis micans Ivanovich, Hollinger & Printzen 2025, sp. nov.

Lecanoropsis micans Ivanovich, Hollinger & Printzen, sp. nov. Fig 7 and 15D. MycoBank nº: 848533 Type:— U. S. A. Oregon: Benton Co., 65 m alt., 44° 35.4479’ N 123° 13.8959’ W, 07 April 2015, B. McCune 35801 (FR-0183033!— holotype). Lecanomics Code: 265. Diagnosis: Thallus typically endosubstratal; apothecia flat to weakly convex, apothecial disc ochre to dark brown, very glossy; apothecial margin variable, prominent to almost disappearing in old apothecia; macroconidia reniform; producing arthothelin, zeorin and squamatic acid, but no usnic or isousnic acid. Thallus mainly endosubstratal, when developed above substrate, amorphous, effuse, weakly verrucose, grey-brown. Photobiont a chlorococcoid/trebouxioid alga. Apothecia mostly rounded to irregularly deformed or polygonal, single to forming scattered small groups, appressed, (0.40–)0.45–0.55(–0.70) mm diameter. Apothecial disc flat to weakly convex, typically brown to blackened dark brown, sometimes orange-brown, strikingly glossy in fresh material, epruinose. Apothecial margin in young apothecia of variable width, smooth, sometimes indented, raised. In older apothecia thinning to becoming completely excluded, (0.03–)0.04–0.08(–0.11) mm.Light grey to brown. Amphithecium with a thick algal layer, crystals sometimes present. Amphithecial cortex thin, moderately gelatinized where the hyphae are located, sometimes ecorticated, (6–)11–15(–25) µm wide laterally, (8–)11–17(–22) µm wide basally, pigmented faint brown as an extension of epihymenial pigmentation, covered by an external gelatinous layer. Parathecium conspicuous, (35–)47–51(–59) µm wide, also pigmented in apical parts. Epihymenium orange, golden to dark brown, possibly containing Leptocline -brown. Fresh material has a thick gel layer on top that disappears with time (see Notes below). Hymenium hyaline to faint brown, (40–)45–50(–55) µm. Subhymenial layers hyaline, rarely with faint brown patches, (70–)85–125(–160) µm. Paraphyses commonly branching, rarely anastomosing, ca. 1.5–2.0 µm wide, apices weakly capitate, ca. 2.5–3 µm wide, gel sheaths around apices dark brown, 3.5–4.5(–5) µm. Spores ellipsoid, simple, hyaline, (10.2–)11.3–11.8(–13.5) × (4.5–)5.1–5.7(–7.0) µm. Conidia: Macroconidia weakly reniform, 9.5–10 × 3.5–4 µm; microconidia bacilliform, 6.5–8.5 × 1.5–2 µm; meso- and leptoconidia were not found. Chemistry: Arthothelin, zeorin and squamatic acid. Possibly 7-O-methylnorascomatic acid (see Fig. 3, on first lane, top spot). Substrate: Lignicolous, on conifer wood. Ecology: So far known only from three lowland localities between 50 and 82 m alt. in or near urban areas. Distribution: Northwest coast of U.S.A. (California, Oregon). Notes: Lecanoropsis micans (Lecanora sp. C, sensu Ivanovich et al., 2021) can be easily mistaken as L. iapyx and L. saligna. Lecanoropsis micans, however, produces a variety of secondary metabolites, such as arthothelin, zeorin and squamatic acid. Isousnic acid, which is found as major metabolite on both L. iapyx and L. saligna, has not been detected in L. micans. Moreover, L. micans has a thin and pigmented amphithecial cortex, (when present), whereas in L. iapyx is usually thick, persistent and hyaline. Lecanoropsis micans differs from L. saligna in producing reniform macroconidia vs. the crescent-shaped macroconidia of L. saligna. In addition, a thick gel layer on top of the epihymenium and amphithecial cortex can be found in fresh specimens of L. micans, but not in L. saligna. However, this character proved to be ephemeral, as shown in Fig. 7B, where the gel layer has almost disappeared from the epihymenium, but is still present at the exterior of the amphithecial cortex. Lecanoropsis crassithalina differs from L. micans by having a thick, well-developed thallus, in contrast to the poorly-developed, effuse and amorphous thallus of L. micans. In addition, L. crassithallina produces narrowly oblongellipsoid macroconidia of 4.5–6.0 × (1.5–)2–2.5 µm, whereas those of L. micans are reniform and larger (9.5–10 × 3.5–4 µm). Etymology: micans in latin means “shiny, with a glossy sheen” and refers to the conspicuous gloss of apothecia in fresh material. Additional specimens studied: U.S.A. California: San Luis Obispo Co., Cambria, Kenneth S. Norris Rancho Marino, 50 m alt., 35°32.46’ N 121°5.22’ W, 10 March 2018, J. Hollinger, K. Kellman & T. Calberg 19836 (FR-0362733; hb. Hollinger), Lecanomics code: 997; Oregon: Benton Co., 82 m alt., 44°36’ N 123°14’ W, 01 February 2008, B. McCune 29514 (FR-0362734; hb. McCune), Lecanomics code: 266.