Cladistic analysis of the family Cryphaeaceae (Bryophyta) with emphasis on Cryphaea: a study based on a comprehensive morphological dataset

Abstract

Flores, J. R.; S. A. Catalano & G. M. Suárez. 2017. Cladistic analysis of the family Cryphaeaceae (Bryophyta) with emphasis on Cryphaea: a study based on a comprehensive morphological dataset. Darwiniana, nueva serie 5(1): 51-64. CLADISTIC ANALYSIS OF THE FAMILY CRYPHAEACEAE (BRYOPHYTA) WITH EMPHASIS ON CRYPHAEA: A STUDY BASED ON A COMPREHENSIVE MORPHOLOGICAL DATASET Unidad Ejecutora Lillo (CONICET Fundación Miguel Lillo); Miguel Lillo 251, 4000 San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo Universidad Nacional de Tucumán; Miguel Lillo 205, 4000 San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina; jrflores@conicet.gov.ar (autor corresponsal) Jorge R. Flores; Santiago A. Catalano & Guillermo M. Suárez The first comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of the Cryphaeaceae (Bryophyta), a pleurocarpic moss family, is conducted on the basis of morphological characters. The data set comprised 73 characters: 10 continuous and 63 discrete. Taxon sampling involved nine genera and 46 species of Cryphaeaceae, 32 species belonging to Cryphaea. Outgroup sampling included 23 species from 21 genera and 13 families of pleurocarpous mosses. The phylogenetic analyses were conducted using parsimony as the optimality criterion following an implied weighting approach. The results did not support the monophyly of Cryphaeaceae as it excluded Dendroalsia abietina from the family. The clade composed of the remaining genera (clade A) was diagnosed by a short seta (0.26-0.30 mm), costa present throughout the innermost perichaetial bract, conical operculum and appressed leaves in dry condition. The analyses furthermore recovered Cryphaea as paraphyletic and Dendrocryphaea as polyphyletic. Cryphaea included Schoenobryum concavifolium, Cyptodontopsis leveillei, and Dendrocryphaea lamyana which were thereby separated from the other species of Dendrocryphaea. Character mapping revealed that, as a consequence of the unexpected placement of crucial species, diagnosis should be considerably modified.