This species usually grows in rather dry situations on ferriferous rocks. On Hopen, however, it was associated with Ionaspis lacustris, which implies a wetter habitat, and the small piece of rock supporting the specimen lacks visible indications of heavy metal influences. The thallus is much reduced, but the appearance of the apothecia, with their raised black rim (Fig. 1), as well as other characters, agrees with material in UPS from other areas. Ionaspis obtecta seems to be a rare species but it is widespread in Fennoscandia (Santesson et al. 2004). Outside Fennoscandia it was previously known from Scotland (Fletcher et al. 2009), France (Roux 2011), Central and Southern Europe (Hafellner & Türk 2001, collections in UPS [http://130.238.83.220/botanik/home.php]) and both European and Asian parts of Russia (Urbanavichus & Andreev 2010). New to Svalbard.