Taxonomy ofCladonia angustilobaand related species

Abstract

AbstractThe lichen speciesCladonia angustilobais characterized by a well-developed primary thallus and narrow squamules which show deep incisions, and the presence of usnic and fumarprotocetraric acids. Morphologically it is similar toC. foliaceaandC. convoluta, from which it can be distiguished by the squamule size and morphology. Since similar characters were used to distinguishC. foliaceafromC. convolutawhich do not represent different lineages, it is necessary to examine the taxonomic status ofC. angustilobaby means of DNA sequences. In this study, the species delimitation within theC. foliaceacomplex was studied by sequencing three loci, ITS rDNA,cox1andRPB2. The data were analyzed by means of phylogenetic and species delimitation methods (GMYC, PTP, ABGD and BPP). Our results show that none of the three species is monophyletic. Most of the species delimitation methods did not support the current species as evolutionary lineages. Only some of the BPP analyses supportedC. angustilobaas a species distinct fromC. foliaceaandC. convoluta. However, the hypothesis that considers theC. foliaceacomplex as constituted by a unique species obtained the best Bayes Factor value. Therefore,C. angustilobaandC. convolutaare synonymized withC. foliacea.A new, thoroughly checked synonymy with typifications of the wholeC. foliaceacomplex is presented. An updated survey of the world distribution data is compiled.