The genusEndocena(Icmadophilaceae): DNA evidence suggests the same fungus forms different morphologies

Abstract

Numerous recent studies of lichenized fungi have uncovered hidden genetic diversity within a single phenotypic entity (so-called ‘cryptic species’). Here we report the opposite situation with vastly different morphologies apparently deriving from the same genotype. Endocena is a monotypic genus known only from southern South America. The single reported species, the terricolous E. informis, is morphologically variable; the type and other collections from the west coast of Chile being subfruticose, whereas specimens from further south and east are almost crustose in form. A sorediate terricolous lichen that is frequent on the Falkland Islands was confirmed by phylogenetic analysis of ITS rDNA and mtSSU rDNA sequences as being congeneric with E. informis and, surprisingly, both taxa were recovered as congeneric with the recently described genus and species Chirleja buckii, which is morphologically distinct from both E. informis and the sorediate taxon. Consequently, the genus Chirleja is included in the synonymy of Endocena and the new combination Endocena buckii is proposed. Because E. informis and the sorediate specimens have a similar thallus structure that differs radically from that of E. buckii, the name E. informis var. falklandica is proposed for the sorediate taxon. Poorly developed, incipient apothecia are also described from both varieties of E. informis, the first time that these have been reported for Endocena. We also report two lichenicolous fungi from E. informis var. informis, which are the first reports of lichenicolous fungi occurring on this genus.

A molecular-genetic reassessment of the circumscription of the lichen genusIcmadophila

“…We also found a sister relationship between Endocena and the S. decumbens group, as previously suggested by the nuSSU analyses of Stenroos et al (2002) and Fryday et al (2017), and a distinct Dibaeis clade, concurring with Kantvilas (2018) and references therein.…”

“…and I. eucalypti Kantvilas. Together with the genera Dibaeis Clem., Endocena Cromb. including Chirleja, following Fryday et al (2017), Pseudobaeomyces M. Satô, Siphula Fr., Thamnolia Ach. ex Schaer.…”

Eleven new species of crustose lichenized fungi from the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

“…2010; Fryday & Øvstedal 2012; Fryday & Hertel 2014; Fryday et al . 2017 a , b ; Orange 2018; Øvstedal et al . 2018) but, as can be seen from the number of ‘Associated Species’ identified only to genus or included in the keys only as “sp.”, many more remain to be fully investigated.…”

“…2016; Fryday et al . 2017 a , b ; Orange 2018; Øvstedal et al . 2018), many more remain to be fully investigated.…”

Molecular analyses uncover the phylogenetic placement of the lichenized hyphomycetous genusCheiromycina

“…A single specimen of the sporodochiate lichen Chirleja buckii was sequenced, and the taxon was suggested to be a member of Icmadophilaceae (Pertusariales; Lendemer and Hodkinson 2012). Further DNA evidence even included Chirleja buckii in the genus Endocena , and the new combination of Endocena buckii was proposed by Fryday et al (2017). Recently, the description of Savoronala madagascariensis from arid regions in southeast Madagascar was coupled with phylogenetic data (Ertz et al 2013).…”