Diversity and distribution of lichens from the Cerro Duida and adjacent areas, Alto Orinoco, Amazonas, Venezuela

Increasing temperature and changing land-use in the Guayana Shield Amazonia result an accelerated decline of sensitive lichen populations. Monitoring these populations by biological plot inventories particularly vulnerable sites is urgently needed. In order to know diversity distribution species at Alto Orinoco, Parque Nacional Duida-Marahuaca nearby areas from Amazonas state, Venezuela, lichens were sampled during four expeditions more than 40 plots located 200 m (premontane forest) 1500 elevation (altotepuyana vegetation). Additional data obtained literature herbaria. Our assessment, although incomplete, revealed 205 described species, 150 undescribed 84 genera 27 families. Among 162 observed basimontane vegetation, 38 montane 24 altotepuyana while 20 appear be endemic study area. Sixty-nine are new records for Cerro Duida. A checklist with taxonomic ecological presented. Five one variety described: Cladonia duidana V.Marcano & A.Morales sp. nov. (Cladoniaceae), Pertusaria orinoquensis nov., Sticta kunuhana (Lobariaceae), S. spruceana Xanthoparmelia esmeraldensis (Parmeliaceae), Lepraria arbuscula (Nyl.) Lendemer Hodk. var. fumarprotocetrarica