PHYLOGENY OF PERTUSARIALES (ASCOMYCOTINA): RESURRECTION OF OCHROLECHIACEAE AND NEW CIRCUMSCRIPTION OF MEGASPORACEAE

Abstract

  The phylogeny of Pertusariales was studied using partial sequences of the mitochondrial SSU and nuclear LSU rDNA of 96 ascomycetes, including 70 newly obtained sequences. Our analysis confirms Pertusariaceae being polyphyletic and falling into four well-supported monophyletic groups. Pertusariaceae s.str. is restricted to Pertusaria s.str. and Loxosporopsis that have an unsupported sister-group relationship with Coccotremataceae, while the Varicellaria- and Variolaria-groups are sister to Ochrolechia. Coccotremataceae, Pertusariaceae s.str., Ochrolechia, and the Varicellaria- and Variolaria-groups form a well-supported sister-group to Aspicilia, Lobothallia and Megaspora. Monophyly of Pertusariaceae and Megasporaceae+Pertusariaceae is significantly rejected using three different methods of hypothesis testing. Consequently, the concept of Megasporaceae is enlarged to include the genera Aspicilia and Lobothallia, and the Ochrolechiaceae R.C. Harris ex Lumbsch & Schmitt are newly described, including Ochrolechia, and tentatively the Varicellaria- and Variolaria-groups of Pertusaria s.lat.