Dear all,

I found this beautful pseudotheciate ascomycete growing on Pinus halepensis bark with resin exudates in the eastern Iberian Peninsula. Ascomata seem to correspond with pseudothecia, and the apical openning has a greenish pruina (the photos show a whitish pruina, but it is greenish!). See attached macrophotographs.

Microscopically, the most remarkable character is the presence of multispored ascii (tens of spores). Spores are rounded, small and hyaline. In fact, the microscopical characters resemble somewhat those shown by the genus Sarea, which is also resinicolous. Moreover, the unknown species has pseudoparaphyses.

Molecular data are not conclusive. The more conserved LSU marker seems to point to the Lecanoromycetes, in between of genera whose species are lichenized (Umbilicaria, Porpidia, Acarospora, etc.). But the similarity is quite low (93%). However, our unknown species does not establish these symbiotic associations. Information from the ITS is not of much help.

Any further insight from your side on the taxonomical identity of this species will be greatly appreciated.

Best wishes,

Isaac