Molecular phylogeny and morphology of Cephaleuros (Trentepohliales, Chlorophyta) from southern China

Cephaleuros is a subaerial green alga widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions. In this study, we investigated the taxonomy of Cephaleuros in southern China. Eight morphospecies (C. virescens, C. karstenii, C. expansus, C. drouetii, C. diffusus, C. tumidae-setae, C. lagerheimii and C. parasiticus) were identified according to previous descriptions, among which C. karstenii was the most frequently recorded. Subsequently, molecular phylogeny of Cephaleuros was inferred from 18S rDNA, ITS rDNA, 28S rDNA and rbcL sequences. Cephaleuros was subdivided into nine clades based on ITS analysis, which were recovered in phylogenies of two concatenated datasets (18S+ITS+28S and 18S+ITS+28S+rbcL). Molecular analyses revealed that Cephaleuros was composed of two main lineages, with one lineage comprising mostly samples of C. karstenii and C. virescens and the other comprising other species. The molecular phylogenies were not congruent with conventional morphological classifications, although some clades were distinguished by one or more diagnostic features. While the morphological features used to distinguish Cephaleuros spp were not reliable, the rbcL gene proved to be a good marker for identification of Cephaleuros. The ITS2 secondary structure prediction model showed that Cephaleuros spp have one ring structure with four helices, with Helix III being the longest without a branch in clades 3, 5 and 8. The present study represents the most detailed taxonomic assessment of Cephaleuros available to date. Further taxonomic research incorporating samples from the type locality is necessary for the reassessment of C. virescens.

Automated summary

The study investigated the taxonomy of Cephaleuros in southern China and identified eight morphospecies. Molecular phylogeny analyses revealed two main lineages within Cephaleuros, with one lineage mostly comprising samples of C. karstenii and C. virescens. The study highlights the importance of using molecular markers in addition to morphological features for accurate identification of Cephaleuros.