The Lichenologist 44(3): 401–418 (2012) 6 British Lichen Society, 2012 doi:10.1017/S0024282911000843 Absence of anthraquinone pigments is paraphyletic and a phylogenetically unreliable character in the Teloschistaceae Jan VONDRA ´ K, Jaroslav S ˇ OUN, Olga VONDRA ´ KOVA ´ , Alan M. FRYDAY, Alexander KHODOSOVTSEV and Evgeny A. DAVYDOV Abstract: It has been suggested that the absence of anthraquinones is not a synapomorphic character, but appears independently in unrelated lineages of Teloschistaceae. We analyzed ITS nrDNA regions in species of the genus Caloplaca and present evidence for five such examples: the Caloplaca cerina group, C. obscurella, the C. servitiana group, the C. xerica group and the C. variabilis group (Pyrenodesmia). In some cases, loss of anthraquinones is observed only in individuals within ordinarily pigmented popula- tions, but sometimes the loss covers whole lineages containing one or more species. Both situations are observed in the C. servitiana group. Loss of anthraquinones is always followed by the synthesis of ‘alternative’ pigments (often Sedifolia-grey). In the specimens with anthraquinone-containing apothecia studied, these pigments are not visible in apothecial sections after dissolving anthraquinones in K. Fully unpigmented apothecia have not been observed. The Caloplaca xerica group is a newly established, infraspecific grouping of species related to, and similar to, C. xerica. The Caloplaca servitiana group is also newly established and represents an isolated lineage covering two rather different, but related species. Caloplaca neotaurica is described here as a new species with apothecia of two colour variants; orange-red (with anthraquinones) and grey (with Sedifolia-grey). The genus Huea represents another taxon lacking anthraquinones within Teloschistaceae. The genera Apatoplaca and Cephalophysis, which lack anthraquinones, are tentatively placed in Teloschistaceae, but their phylogenetic identity has not been recognized. Hueidea is reported to have no anthraquinones, but its secondary metabolites should be studied further and its possible placement in Teloschistaceae assessed. We suggest that Caloplaca abbreviata var. lecideoides and C. celata represent variants of C. stillicidiorum lacking anthraquinones. Key words: Apatoplaca, Caloplaca neotaurica, Cephalophysis, Huea, Hueidea, lichens, phylogeny, taxonomy, UV-radiation Accepted for publication 11 October 2011 Introduction In one of the largest lichen families, Teloschis- taceae, the majority of lichens produce yellow- orange-red anthraquinone pigments in the superficial tissues of their fruiting bodies and/or thallus (e.g., Søchting 1997). They are produced in various Teloschistaceae in 1) both thallus and apothecia, 2) in apothecial disc and margin only, 3) in apothecial disc only or 4) are entirely absent. Anthraqui- nones are known to protect lichens from absorption of UV radiation (Solhaug et al. 2003); their content in Xanthoria parietina (L.) Beltr. (Teloschistaceae) significantly in- creases with exposition to solar radiation (Gauslaa & McEvoy 2005). J. Vondra ´k: Institute of Botany, Academy of Sciences, Za ´mek 1, Pru ˚ honice, CZ-25243, Czech Republic, and Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Brani- s ˇovska ´ 31, CZ-370 05, C ˇ eske Budejovice, Czech Re- public. Email: j.vondrak@seznam.cz J. S ˇ oun: Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branis ˇovska ´ 31, C ˇ eske ´ Bude ˇjovice, CZ-370 05, Czech Republic. O. Vondra ´kova ´: Institute of Steppe (Urals Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences), Pionerskaya st. 11, Orenburg, RF-460000, Russia. A. M. Fryday: Herbarium, Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824- 1312, USA. A. Khodosovtsev: Kherson State University, 40 Rokiv Zhovtnya str. 27, 73000 Kherson, Ukraine. E. A. Davydov: Altai State University, Lenin Ave. 61, Barnaul, RF-656049, Russia; Tigirek State Reserve, Nikitina, 111, Barnaul, RF-656043, Barnaul, Russia.