Lichen-inhabiting fungi are highly specialized mycoparasites, commensals or rarely saprotrophs, that are common components of almost every ecosystem, where they develop obligate associations with lichens. Their relevance, however, contrasts with the relatively small number of these fungi described so far. Recent estimates and ongoing studies indicate that a significant fraction of their diversity remains undiscovered and may be expected in tropical regions, in particular in hyperdiverse fog-exposed montane forests. Here, we introduce the new genus Zhurbenkoa, from South America and Europe, for three lichenicolous fungi growing on thalli of the widespread lichen genus Cladonia (Lecanorales). Phylogenetic analyses based on combined sequence data of mt and nuc rDNA obtained from Andean populations (Bolivia) placed Zhurbenkoa as a member of Malmideaceae, a recently introduced family of lichen-forming fungi in the class Lecanoromycetes. Zhurbenkoa is closely related to the genera Savoronala and Sprucidea. The new genus is characterized by the development of grayish brown to almost black apothecia lacking an evident margin, an epihymenium interspersed with crystals (often seen as pruina), a strongly conglutinated hymenium made of noncapitate and sparsely branched paraphyses, a colorless exciple composed of radially arranged hyphae, a Lecanora/Micarea-like ascus type, and aseptate or 1-septate ellipsoidal colorless ascospores. Zhurbenkoa includes two Neotropical (Z. cladoniarum, Z. latispora) and one widespread (Z. epicladonia) species. The lichenicolous trophic mode is documented for the first time in the Malmideaceae, which until now included only lichen-forming associations between fungi and green algae.

b Navarro Villoslada 16 3° dcha E 31003 Pamplona Navarra Spain

c Real Jardín Botánico Plaza de Murillo 2 28014 Madrid Spain

Department of Lichenology W Szafer Institute of Botany Polish Academy of Sciences Lubicz 46 PL 31 512 Krakow Poland

Department of Plant Taxonomy and Nature Conservation Faculty of Biology University of Gdańsk Wita Stwosza 59 PL 80 308 Gdańsk Poland

e Institute of Botany Czech Academy of Sciences CZ 25243 Průhonice Czech Republic

f Laboratory of Molecular Analyses W Szafer Institute of Botany Polish Academy of Sciences Lubicz 46 PL 31512 Krakow Poland

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