India, June 19 -- Researchers at the Pune-based Agharkar Research Institute (ARI) have discovered a new lichen-forming fungal species in the Western Ghats, further highlighting the region's rich yet largely undocumented biodiversity, according to a release issued by the institute on Thursday.

The species, named Thelotrema maharashtrense after Maharashtra, was identified through a study led by researchers Ansil P A and Rajeshkumar KC. The findings were published on April 23, 2026, in the international taxonomy journal Phytotaxa. The study is the first molecular phylogenetic investigation of the genus Thelotrema from India and provides new insights into the evolutionary relationships within the lichen family Graphidaceae.

Lichens are symb...