Symbiont flexibility in Thamnolia vermicularis (Pertusariales: Icmadophilaceae)

Algal and fungal symbionts of the lichenized genus Thamnolia typically co-disperse through thallus fragmentation, which may be expected to lead to fungal associations with a restricted range of algal symbionts. Here we examine the range of algae that associate with the fungus Thamnolia vermicularis....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Bryologist 2009-06, Vol.112 (2), p.404-417
Main Authors: Nelsen, Matthew P, Gargas, Andrea
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Algae
dispersal
Evolution
Fungi
Genotypes
Icmadophilaceae
Lichenology
Lichens
photobiont
phylogeny
re-lichenization
symbiont-switch
Symbionts
Symbiosis
Taxa
Thamnolia
Thamnolia vermicularis
Topology
Trebouxia
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Summary:Algal and fungal symbionts of the lichenized genus Thamnolia typically co-disperse through thallus fragmentation, which may be expected to lead to fungal associations with a restricted range of algal symbionts. Here we examine the range of algae that associate with the fungus Thamnolia vermicularis. Phylogenetic analyses of internal transcribed spacer rDNA (ITS) sequences suggest that Trebouxia algae associated with T. vermicularis are not monophyletic. Algal and fungal phylogenies were compared, and although some congruence was found, a Mantel test found no significant correlation between fungal and algal genetic distances. An AMOVA suggested that ecogeographic factors play a stronger role than fungal genotype in structuring photobiont diversity. Additionally, as a species, T. vermicularis associates with a range of algae equal to or greater than that of many other fungal taxa.
ISSN:0007-2745
1938-4378
DOI:10.1639/0007-2745-112.2.404