Lichen-inhabiting fungi and their lichen hosts constitute great systems to assess cospeciation, since the association between them is extremely tight. Previous studies of lichen-inhabiting tremellalean fungi showed that the prevalent cophylogenetic event in this system is not cospeciation, but host switch. Here, we study the potential species complex formed by Tremella caloplacae s. l. (Basidiomycota, Fungi) and its Teloschistaceae hosts (lichenized Ascomycota, Fungi) by analyzing their joint evolutionary history. We perform species delimitation and cophylogenetic analyses, combining different methods. To determine congruence in time between phylogenies, we date the origin of species within T. caloplacae s. l. and compare it with the diverging times of the Teloschistaceae. Our results provide interesting and new knowledge into the biology and evolution of lichen-inhabiting Tremella.
Complete tool for submission, evaluation and publication of proceedings for scientific events.
