Ocean crossers: A tale of disjunctions and speciation in the dwarf-fruticose Lichina (lichenized Ascomycota)

•The genus of ascomycete fungi Lichina may be circumscribed to four maritime species.•Disjunct distributions in Lichina were established by long-distance dispersal.•Ocean crossings in Lichina were followed by speciation.•Contrasting levels of infraspecific genetic diversity were found in Northern vs Southern Hemisphere species.•Dating Lichinomycetes evolution may benefit from the new nrITS substitution rate.