Accelerated evolutionary rates in tropical and oceanic parmelioid lichens (Ascomycota).

ABSTRACT:

Background

The rate of nucleotide substitutions is not constant across the Tree of Life, and departures from a molecular clock have been commonly reported. Within parmelioid lichens, the largest group of macrolichens, large discrepancies in branch lengths between clades were found in previous studies. Using an extended taxon sampling, we test for presence of significant rate discrepancies within and between these clades and test our a priori hypothesis that such rate discrepancies may be explained by shifts in moisture regime or other environmental conditions.

Results

In this paper, the first statistical evidence for accelerated evolutionary rate in lichenized ascomycetes is presented. Our results give clear evidence for a faster rate of evolution in two Hypotrachyna clades

SUBMITTER: Lumbsch HT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2564941 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature