Umbilicaria aprina and U. rhizinata (Umbilicariaceae, lichenized Ascomycota) in Russia

A comprehensive revision of the distribution of two lichen species, Umbilicaria aprina and U. rhizinata, in Russia reveals significant new findings. U. aprina is reported for the first time from Alexandra Land Island (Franz Josef Land Archipelago), Sverdrup Island (Taimyr Dolgano-Nenets District), and three republics: Altai, North Ossetia-Alania, and Sakha-Yakutia. Meanwhile, U. rhizinata extends its known range to Tyva, Buryatia, the Putorana Plateau, Kamchatka Peninsula, and the Magadan Region, marking its first record in the Asian Subarctic. The study combines morphological and molecular-phylogenetic data, supported by an ITS/5.8S phylogenetic tree, confirming the distinctness of these species. Distribution patterns indicate that U. aprina thrives in high Arctic regions (74°N–81°N) at higher elevations compared to U. rhizinata, whose northernmost record is near Norilsk on the Putorana Plateau (~70°N). This research enriches our understanding of lichen biodiversity and distribution dynamics across Russia.

Davydov, E. A., Yakovchenko, L. S., Kharpukhaeva, T. M., Zheludeva, E. V., Chesnokov, S. V., Konoreva, L. A., Kuznetsova, E. S., Storozhenko, Y. V., Ryzhkova, P. Yu., & Himelbrant, D. E. (2024). Umbilicaria aprina and U. rhizinata (Umbilicariaceae, lichenized Ascomycota) in Russia. Turczaninowia, 27(1), 92–101. https://doi.org/10.14258/turczaninowia.27.1.12