Five new species of Allographa lichens discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers from MACS Agharkar Research Institute, Pune, described five new species of the lichen-forming fungal genus Allographa from the Western Ghats (announced 21 July 2026).
Summary
Allographa, a genus of script lichens in the family Graphidaceae with more than 200 species, has gained five new species from the Western Ghats, described by researchers of MACS Agharkar Research Institute, Pune, an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology. The MACS Agharkar team combined morphology and chemistry with multi-locus DNA sequencing (mtSSU, nrLSU and RPB2) in the first comprehensive molecular phylogenetic study of Allographa from the Western Ghats. The new species are Allographa keralensis (named after Kerala), A. nayakae (honouring lichenologist Dr Sanjeeva Nayaka), A. paraconsanguinea, A. persistinspersa and A. semicarbonisata. Allographa lichens are indicators of forest health because of their sensitivity to pollution and habitat change.
Key facts
- Announced
- 21 July 2026
- Genus
- Allographa (lichen-forming fungi), family Graphidaceae
- Where
- Western Ghats
- Institute
- MACS Agharkar Research Institute, Pune (DST)
- New species
- A. keralensis, A. nayakae, A. paraconsanguinea, A. persistinspersa, A. semicarbonisata
- Markers
- mtSSU, nrLSU, RPB2
Practice MCQs 2 questions
Allographa, of which five new species were described from the Western Ghats in July 2026, is a genus of:
Show answer
Correct answer: C — Lichen-forming fungi
Allographa is a genus of script lichens (lichen-forming fungi) in the family Graphidaceae.
Researchers of which institute described the five new Allographa species from the Western Ghats?
Show answer
Correct answer: B — MACS Agharkar Research Institute, Pune
The team was from MACS Agharkar Research Institute, Pune, an autonomous institute of DST.