Lichens are symbiotic associations consisting of a fungal (mycobiont) and one or more photosynthetic (photobionts) partners and are the dominant component, and most important primary producers, of Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems. The most common lichens in the maritime Antarctic are Usnea antarctica and U. aurantiacoatra, a so-called "species pair" in which U. antarctica shows asexual reproduction and propagation via soredia and U. aurantiacoatra forms ascospores in apothecia. Previous molecular analyses were not able to unambiguously distinguish the two morphotypes as species. Therefore, the goal of this study was to find out whether fast-evolving SSR (single sequence repeat) markers are able to separate morphotypes more clearly and help to clarify their taxonomy. We investigate 190 individuals from five mixed stands of both morphotypes collected in King George Island and Elephant Island (South Shetland Islands, Antarctica). Based on 23 microsatellite markers designed from sequenced genomes, discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC), Bayesian clustering analysis, and coalescent-based estimation of gene flow show clear evidence for the existence of two different species distinguishable by reproductive mode. We did not detect any statistical association between genetic clusters and three previously reported chemical races of each species.
Keywords: DAPC; ITS; gene flow; haplotype network.