The foliicolous lichenized species Aspidothelium coronatum is described as new to science. The lichen was collected in the East Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh, India and is characterized by submuriform ascospores. The novel taxon differs by displaying a corona of lobes around the perithecia, larger ascospores 80–105 × 14–22 μm in size, with 15–17 transverse septa and 1–2 longitudinal septa per segment. A worldwide key to all currently recognized species of Aspidothelium is provided.

A phylogenetic study using DNA sequences of the nuclear ribosomal large subunit from 38 species is used to infer the phylogeny of species currently placed in Topeliopsis. The genus is shown to be polyphyletic; monophyly of previous and current circumscriptions of the genus are rejected using two alternative hypothesis tests. Topeliopsis meridiensis is shown to be closer to Chapsa than Topeliopsis, but additional studies are necessary to understand the circumscription of Chapsa. The new genus Melanotopelia Lumbsch & Mangold is described to accommodate T. toensbergii and T. rugosa. These species were previously regarded as aberrant in Topeliopsis because of their thin-walled ascospores and dark pigmented proper exciple. The new combination Graphis mexicana (Hale) Kalb, Lücking & Lumbsch is proposed and Graphis muscicola and Topeliopsis globosa reduced to synonymy with this species.