Lecidea doliiformis belongs to Micarea, Catillaria alba to Biatora, and Biatora ligni-mollis occurs in Western Europe

The taxonomic position of several European corticolous lichen species with conspicuous pycnidia and chlorococcoid photobiont is currently unsatisfactory and is here examined with maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian inferences using mtSSU sequences. Lecidea doliiformis is resolved as a member of the Micarea assimilata-group and Catillaria alba as sister to the recently described Biatora ligni-mollis. Therefore, L. doliiformis is transferred to Micarea [M. doliiformis (Coppins & P. James) Coppins & Sérus. comb. nov.], and a new name is introduced for the transfer of C. alba into Biatora (B. veteranorum Coppins & Sérus. nom. nov.). Biatora ligni-mollis, recently described from primary forests in British Columbia (Canada), is shown to be a rare but widespread species in Western Europe (Belgium, France, Germany, Poland and Scotland) where it is not confined to undisturbed forests.