Lecidea atrobrunnea

The Lecidea atrobrunnea species complex has been the subject of extensive study due to its vast diversity, particularly in western North America. This group presents a variety of morphologies and chemical compositions even within local scales. Traditionally considered a cosmopolitan species, recent (2023) research suggests that what was thought to be a single, widespread species might actually be a complex of distinct species-level lineages. The complexity of this group is highlighted by the morphological and chemical variability that masks its true biodiversity. Recent studies, using both single-marker candidate species delimitation analyses and species delimitation analyses support the notion that Lecidea atrobrunnea comprises multiple distinct species-level lineages. This finding challenges previous assumptions about the monophyly of commonly occurring taxa like L. atrobrunnea, L. protabacina, and L. syncarpa in montane habitats of western North America, which are now shown to be polyphyletic. The research also reveals narrow geographical distributions for many of these candidate species-level lineages, although sampling is still incomplete. This complex scenario suggests that the species-level diversity within the Lecidea atrobrunnea complex may be significantly underestimated. The authors suggest that the findings call for a re-evaluation of species boundaries and the total number of species within this complex. ==See also==