Lidia S. Yakovchenko

Convergent evolution of a symbiotic duet: The case of the lichen genus Polychidium (Peltigerales, Ascomycota)

PREMISE OF THE STUDY Thallus architecture has long been a powerful guide for classifying lichens and has often trumped photobiont association and ascomatal type, but the reliability of these characters to predict phylogenetic affinity has seldom been tested. The cyanolichen genus Polychidium unites species that have strikingly similar gross morphology but consort with different photobiont genera. If Polychidium were found to be monophyletic, photobiont switching among closely related species would be suggested. If, however, species were found to arise in different lineages, a convergent body plan and ascomatal type evolution would be inferred. METHODS We tested the monophyly of Polychidium with a multilocus phylogeny based on nuclear and mitochondrial sequence data from all known Peltigeralean families and reconstructed ancestral states for specific thallus architecture and ascomatal ontogeny types relative to Polychidium and other clades. KEY RESULTS We found that Polychidium consists of two species groups that arose independently in different suborders within the Peltigerales, associated with Nostoc and Scytonema photobionts, respectively. We infer from ancestral character state reconstruction that dendroid thallus architecture evolved independently in these two lineages. CONCLUSIONS The independent development of similar dendroid thallus architecture in different fungal suborders with different photobionts represents a clear and previously overlooked example of convergent evolution in lichens. Our results also suggest a pattern of character state conservation, loss, and reversion in ascomatal ontogeny types, hitherto considered conserved traits useful for higher level ascomycete systematics.

Notes on Rinodina excrescens in the Russian Far East (Physciaceae, Lichenized Ascomycota)

Abstract: GALANINA, I. A., YAKOVCHENKO, L. S., TSARENKO, N. A. & SPRIBILLE, T. 2011. Notes on Rinodina excre-scens in the Russian Far East (Physciaceae, lichenized Ascomycota). — Herzogia 24: 59–64. Rinodina excrescens was described from western Siberia by Vainio but has since been reported mainly from eastern North America, and in south-central and southern Europe, where it is rare. We report the rediscovery of this species in Russia from a string of new records in the Russian Far East from Sakhalin Island to the Mongolian border. Current data suggest that R. excrescens has a primarily eastern North American-east Asian distribution with rare outliers elsewhere.

Pseudocyphellaria crocata (Ascomycota: Lobariaceae) in the Americas is revealed to be thirteen species, and none of them is P. crocata

Abstract We provide a phylogenetic revision of the Pseudocyphellaria crocata complex in the Americas. Specimens traditionally identified as P. crocata, based on their cyanobacterial photobiont, yellow pseudocyphellae, at least partially white medulla, and yellow soralia or soralia-like structures, are shown to represent 13 distinct species, forming a monophyletic group divided into four large clades, three comprising one species each and one containing eight species, plus two taxa for which no molecular data are available. Seven species correspond to what was previously recognized as P. crocata and one to P. dozyana, whereas a further one is identified as the sorediate counterpart of the usually apotheciate taxon P. lechleri and another as a pseudosorediate morph of the usually phyllidiate species P. neglecta. Surprisingly, none of the species represents P. crocata s.str., which must therefore be excluded from the American lichen biota. The 13 recognized species include three species new to science and three new combinations: P. citrina (Gyeln.) Lücking, Moncada & S.Stenroos, comb. nov. [bas.: Cyanisticta citrina Gyeln., nom. nov. pro Sticta citrina Pers. nom. illeg.], P. desfontainii (Delise) Vain., P. deyi Lücking, sp. nov., P. dozyana (Mont. & Bosch) D.J.Galloway, P. epiflavoides (Gyeln.) Lücking, Farkas & Lőkös, comb. nov. [bas.: Cyanisticta epiflavoides Gyeln.], P. hawaiiensis H.Magn., P. hillii (C.W.Dodge) D.J.Galloway, P. holarctica McCune, Lücking & Moncada, sp. nov., P. lechleri (Müll. Arg.) Du Rietz, P. neglecta (Müll. Arg.) H.Magn., P. punctata Lendemer, Lücking & Moncada sp. nov., P. sandwicensis (Zahlbr.) Moncada & Lücking, comb. nov. [bas.: Sticta crocata f. sandwicensis Zahlbr.], and P. xanthosticta (Pers.) Moncada & Lücking. Based on sequenced specimens, a neotype is selected for P. citrina and epitypes for P. hawaiiensis, P. lechleri, P. sandwicensis and P. xanthosticta. A key to all sorediate or pseudosorediate species of this complex in the Americas is presented, and all species are described, discussed and illustrated.

Candelariella commutata sp. nov. for C. unilocularis auct. medioeur. – an arctic-alpine lichen on calcareous substrata from the Caucasus and Europe

Abstract: Otte, V., Yakovchenko, L., Clerc, P. & Westberg, M. 2013. Candelariella commutata sp. nov. for C. unilocularis auct. medioeur. — an arctic-alpine lichen on calcareous substrata from the Caucasus and Europe. - Herzogia 26: 217–222. A new Candelariella species is described and reported from the Caucasus, the Alps, Scandinavia and Novaya Zemlya. It grows on calcareous ground and partly comprises what has earlier been named C. unilocularis.

Candelariella biatorina New to Asia from the Russian Far East

Abstract: YAKOVCHENKO, L., AHTI, T. &WESTBERG, M. 2013. Candelariella biatorina new to Asia from the Russian Far East. - Herzogia 26: 207–212. Candelariella biatorina (Candelariaceae, lichenized Ascomycetes), until now only known from western North America, is reported from the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) and the Magadan Region in the Russian Far East. A morphological description based on the Russian material is provided.

Candelariella blastidiata sp. nov. (Ascomycota, Candelariaceae) from Eurasia and North America, and a key for grey thalli Candelariella

Candelariella blastidiata Yakovchenko sp. nov. is described. This corticolous species is characterized by biatorine yellow apothecia, a grey squamulose thallus with marginal and lower side blastidia, 8-spored asci, and a northern circumpolar distribution. Candelariella subdeflexa has previously been confused with C. blastidiata , but our analyses of phenotypic and DNA sequence data revealed C. blastidiata should be distinguished from C. subdeflexa . A worldwide key for Candelariella species with grey thalli is provided.

Buellia lacteoidea New to Eurasia from Transbaikal Territory (South Siberia, Russia)

Abstract: Yakovchenko, L., Galanina, I. & Davydov, E. A. 2017. Buellia lacteoidea new to Eurasia from Transbaikal Territory (South Siberia, Russia). – Herzogia 30: 515–519. Yakovchenko, L., Galanina, I. & Davydov, E. A. 2017. Buellia lacteoidea neu für Eurasien aus Transbaikalien (Südsibirien, Russland) – Herzogia 30: 515–519. Buellia lacteoidea (Physciaceae, lichenized Ascomycetes), hitherto only known from western North America, is reported from the Transbaikal Territory (South Siberia, Russia). A morphological description based on the Russian material is provided.