Cladonia comprises 475 species and is the most diverse genus within Cladoniaceae, distributed in all continents. Species in this genus have a great ecological relevance and form one of the most important groups of terricolous lichens, making up a significant element of the vegetation of diverse biomes. In order to estimate the origin, diversification and biogeographical pattern of Cladonia, we used the most extensive phylogeny to date, based on five nuclear loci (ITS rSNA, IGS rDNA, rpb2, rpb1, ef1a). We inferred lineage divergence times using Bayesian relaxed clock models calibrated with secondary age estimates derived from a more inclusive fossil-calibrated analysis. Bayesian episodic birth-death models and ancestral area reconstructions were used to infer the tempo and mode of lineage diversification. Our results indicate that Cladonia arose during the Eocene in Asia, and most of the major lineages diverged during the Miocene. Both terrestrial land bridges and long-distance dispersal explain the current subcosmopolitan distribution of this genus. Our results suggest that geological and paleoclimatic events played a role in Cladonia time-heterogeneous diversification rates.
Funding: Bentham-Moxon BMT75-2019
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