Found in Alaska, it was described as new to science in 2020 by British lichenologist Alan Fryday.

The type specimen was discovered in Hoonah-Angoon Census Area in Glacier Bay National Park.

The specific epithet athallina refers to this characteristic absence of a thallus.

The lichen makes dark reddish-brown lecideine apothecia that are typically 0.3–0.4 mm in diameter.

The most morphologically similar lichen is Halecania rhypodiza, but this species has a dark brown thallus and larger spores measuring 12–15 by 4.5–6 μm.