New insights into relationships of lichen-forming Dothideomycetes

Here we continue to investigate the phylogenetic relationships of taxa ascribed to the primarily lichen-forming families Trypetheliaceae, Monoblastiaceae and Arthopyreniaceae. We demonstrate that the genera Julella and Arthopyrenia do not form monophyletic groups with taxa from these genera instead being placed both in Pleosporales and Trypetheliales. Within Dothideomycetes, lichen-forming species with brown ascospores are generally placed in the genera Mycomicrothelia, Architrypethelium, and Aptrootia in the family Trypetheliaceae. We tested the taxonomic placement of Anisomeridium phaeospermum, in Monoblastiaceae. This species produces brown-spores with wall ornamentation and therefore appears morphologically similar to Mycomicrothelia. Despite these morphological similarities, molecular data confirmed its placement in Anisomeridium. Consequently, the distinction between these two genera is in need of clarification and ascus characters are identified as the principal discriminating feature. Finally, we identify the non-lichenized taxa Heleiosa barbatula and Funbolia dimorpha as being part of the otherwise lichen-forming family Monoblastiaceae. This is confirmed by the perithecial anatomy of the sexually reproducing Heleiosa barbatula.