Taxonomy and phylogeny of Megasporaceae (lichenized ascomycetes) in arid regions of Eurasia Dissertation zur Erlangung des Doktorgrades der Naturwissenschaften (Dr. rer. nat.) der Naturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät I – Biowissenschaften – der Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Vorgelegt von Frau Zakieh Zakeri geb. am 31.08.1986 in Quchan, Iran Gutachter: 1. Prof. Dr. Martin Röser 2. Prof. Dr. Karsten Wesche 3. Dr. Andre Aptroot Halle (Saale), 25.09.2018 Copyright notice Chapters 2 to 7 have been published in, submitted to or are in preparation for submitting to international journals. Only the publishers and the authors have the right for publishing and using the presented materials. Any re-use of the presented materials should require permissions from the publishers and the authors. May thy heart live by prudence and good senses; Do thou thine utmost to avoid all ill. Knowledge and wisdom are like earth and water; And should combine. Firdowsi Tusi Inhaltsverzeichnis Inhaltsverzeichnis: EXTENDED SUMMARY: ........................................................................................................................... VII AUSFÜHRLICHE ZUSAMMENFASSUNG: ............................................................................................... IX ABKÜRZUNGSVERZEICHNIS: ................................................................................................................. XI KAPITEL 1: ALLGEMEINE GRUNDLAGEN ............................................................................................ 1 1.1 EINLEITUNG ZUR GESCHICHTE UND TAXONOMIE ................................................................................. 3 1.1.1 Zur Geschichte und Taxonomie der Gattung Aspicilia s. lat. und der Familie Megasporaceae ...... 5 1.1.2 Morphologie der Vertreter der Familie Megasporaceae ............................................................. 8 1.1.3 Ökologie und Verbreitung der Familie Megasporaceae .............................................................. 8 1.1.4 Hintergrund dieser Arbeit .......................................................................................................... 9 1.1.5 Zur Geschichte und Taxonomie der Aspicilia-intermutans-Gruppe ............................................ 11 1.1.6 Zur Geschichte und Taxonomie der Gattung Megaspora ........................................................... 13 1.2 EINLEITUNG ZUR ALLGEMEINEN METHODIK ...................................................................................... 14 1.2.1 Chemische Untersuchungen ..................................................................................................... 14 1.2.2 DNA Marker ............................................................................................................................ 16 1.2.3 Molekulare Methoden für die Abgrenzung von Arten ................................................................ 17 1.3 MATERIAL UND METHODEN ............................................................................................................. 20 1.3.1 Material: ................................................................................................................................. 20 1.3.2 Morphologische Untersuchungen: ............................................................................................ 20 1.3.3 Chemische Untersuchungen: .................................................................................................... 21 1.3.3.1 Tüpfeltest: ............................................................................................................................. 21 1.3.3.2 Dünnschichtchromatographie (DC) ....................................................................................... 21 1.3.3.3 Hochleistungsflüssigkeitschromatographie gekoppelt mit Massenspektrometrie (HPLC-MS) .. 21 1.3.4 Identifizierung der Substanzen: ................................................................................................ 23 1.3.5 DNA Marker: ........................................................................................................................... 23 1.4 LITRATUR ZU KAP. 1: ....................................................................................................................... 24 KAPITEL 2: TAXONOMY AND PHYLOGENY OF ASPICILIELLA ..................................................... 35 ABSTRACT: ............................................................................................................................................ 37 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................... 38 MATERIALS AND METHODS .................................................................................................................... 38 Molecular study: ............................................................................................................................... 39 PCR amplifications and sequencing: .................................................................................................. 39 Alignment and phylogenetic analyses: ................................................................................................ 40 RESULTS ................................................................................................................................................ 41 Phylogeny ......................................................................................................................................... 41 Taxonomy.......................................................................................................................................... 42 Key to the species of Aspiciliella ........................................................................................................ 48 DISCUSSION ........................................................................................................................................... 48 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................................................. 49 REFERENCES .......................................................................................................................................... 49 ADDRESSES OF THE AUTHORS ................................................................................................................. 51 KAPITEL 3: DISCOVERING CRYPTIC SPECIES IN THE ASPICILIELLA INTERMUTANS COMPLEX ................................................................................................................................................... 53 ABSTRACT: ............................................................................................................................................ 55 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................... 56 MATERIALS AND METHODS .................................................................................................................... 58 IV Inhaltsverzeichnis Specimen sampling and phenotypic study .......................................................................................... 58 DNA extraction, PCR amplifications and sequencing .......................................................................... 59 Sequence alignment .......................................................................................................................... 59 Phylogenetic analyses ....................................................................................................................... 60 Species delimitation analyses ............................................................................................................ 61 RESULTS................................................................................................................................................ 64 Phylogenetic analyses ....................................................................................................................... 64 Species delimitation analyses ............................................................................................................ 65 Phenotypical examination of Aspiciliella intermutans samples ........................................................... 71 Substrate preferences and Distribution .............................................................................................. 72 DISCUSSION ........................................................................................................................................... 72 Characters of the clades (putative species in Aspiciliella intermutans complex) .................................. 74 REFERENCES .......................................................................................................................................... 76 KAPITEL 4: STUDY ON A. CUPREOGLAUCA AND A. RETICULATA ................................................83 SYNONYMY ........................................................................................................................................... 86 LECTOTYPIFICATION .............................................................................................................................. 86 THE IDENTITY OF ASPICILIA RETICULATA................................................................................................ 86 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................................................