The first scleractinians, progenitors of modern corals, began to appear 240 million years ago; by the late Jurassic (150 Ma) most families corals had evolved and begun forming reefs (1, 2). Mechanisms controlling recruitment new sustain these structures are, however, poorly understood (3). Corals, like many marine invertebrates, begin life as soft-bodied larvae that are dispersed in plankton (3, 4). As step developing a calcified coral colony, larva must settle out onto suitable substratum...

The subfamily Mastophoroideae (Corallinaceae, Rhodophyta) is characterized by species possessing nongeniculate, uniporate tetrasporangial conceptacles without apical plugs, the presence of cell fusions, and absence secondary pit connections. However, molecular phylogenetic studies not including type genus Mastophora indicated that was polyphyletic. Our analysis using DNA sequences SSU rDNA plastid-encoded gene PSII reaction center protein D1 (psbA) revealed formed a robust clade only with...

Summary The nongeniculate species N eogoniolithon brassica‐florida ( H arvey) S etchell et M ason is circumscribed as a polymorphic with various gross morphologies due to it being synonymized several previous species. However, small subunit rDNA and cox 1 analyses showed that . was polyphyletic, strongly imply crustose lacking any protuberances such fosliei eydrich) or branches frutescens F oslie) should be treated genetically different groups (species). Therefore, we propose the...

Article Pneophyllum conicum (Dawson) comb. nov. (Rhodophyta, Corallinaceae), a Widespread Indo-Pacific Non-Geniculate Coralline Alga that Overgrows and Kills Live Coral was published on January 1, 1997 in the journal Botanica Marina (volume 40, issue 1-6).

Three intertidal sites dominated by Corallina turfs were investigated in Hokkaido, Japan. The (A, B and C) differed slope, wave exposure length of time exposed to air during tidal cycles. Monthly samples analyzed for frond morphology other features. Site A, the most wave‐exposed site, was sp. X, an unknown species, C pilulifera Postels et Ruprecht. At different populations conceptacle abundance, coverage epiphytic Titanoderma corallinae (P. Crouan H. Crouan) Woelkerling, Chamberlain Silva,...

Lithophyllum okamurae has been widely reported in the Pacific Ocean with identification based on morpho-anatomical observations. Two infraspecific taxa, L. f. and angulare, described from Japan, have recorded temperate region of Japan. We assessed branched samples morphologically referable to using data DNA sequences (psbA, rbcL partial LSU rDNA) obtained herbarium specimens, including type material, as well recently field-collected material The molecular analyses showed that these 'L....

The taxonomic distinctiveness of the crustose red algal genus Polystrata Heydrich (Peyssonneliaceae) is confirmed on basis morphological and molecular data. vegetative reproductive morphology type species dura newly described. thalli are thick multi‐layered crusts, each crust which composed a mesothallus, superior perithallus, an inferior perithallus. P. characterized by poorly developed perithallus consisting single‐celled perithallial filaments layer crusts being closely adherent to...

Abstract New evidence supports recognition of both Pachyarthron and Bossiella as distinct genera within the Corallinaceae, subfamily Corallinoideae (Corallinales, Rhodophyta). cretaceum, type species Pachyarthron, is confirmed to occur in Australia, a new study designated lectotype P. cretacea plants from Japan, Canada (British Columbia) United States (Alaska, Washington State) has shown that male conceptacles are produced axially at branch tips laterally on intergenicula. By contrast, only...

Lithophyllum kotschyanum had been widely reported across the tropical Red Sea and Indo-Pacific Ocean based on morpho-anatomical identification. We conducted a taxonomic study, gene sequence data (psbA, rbcL, COI LSU), of branched specimens ascribed to L. in Japan Philippines, type specimen f. subtilis described from Caroline Islands, taxon not yet revised modern context. Sequence comparisons could confirm presence kotschyanum, instead, recognised kuroshioense sp. nov. subtile comb. & stat....

SUMMARY Lithophyllum is a cosmopolitan coralline algal genus with 12 species currently recognized in Japan based on modern morpho‐anatomical taxonomic concepts primarily characterized by having uniporate tetrasporangial and bisporangial conceptacles, the presence of secondary pit‐connections between cells adjacent filaments dimerous thallus construction single basal layer predominantly non‐palisade cells. In present study, we describe nagaokaense sp. nov. combination molecular data specimens...

Sporolithon ptychoides Heydrich (Sporolithaceae, Sporolithales), the type species of genus Sporolithon, is newly reported for Thai waters based on specimens collected from Gulf Thailand and Andaman Sea. A detailed morphological anatomical account provided, including comparisons with published data S. its related species. Epithallial cells are flared. Cells adjacent filaments connect laterally mostly by secondary pit connections. Tetrasporangia grouped in sori that occur patches over thallus...

Keats D.W., Maneveldt G.W., Baba M., Chamberlain Y.M. and Lewis J.E. 2009. Three species of Mastophora (Rhodophyta: Corallinales, Corallinaceae) in the tropical Indo-Pacific Ocean: M. rosea (C. Agardh) Setchell, pacifica (Heydrich) Foslie, multistrata, sp. nov. Phycologia 48: 404–422. DOI: 10.2216/08-101.1.Three (Corallinaceae, Rhodophyta) were found extensive studies non-geniculate coralline algae various areas Indo-Pacific, including French Polynesia, Fiji, Ryukyu Islands (Japan), Taiwan....

The non-geniculate coralline alga Lithophyllum okamurae includes two infraspecific taxa, L. f. trincomaliense and validum (currently regarded as an independent species, validum), which were described from Sri Lanka solely on the basis of morpho-anatomical features. We investigated taxonomic status these taxa using comparable DNA sequence data (psbA, rbcL, partial LSU rDNA, COI) complementary features type material specimens whose sequences linked to material. Our molecular analyses showed...

Two species of Cheilosporum, C. acutilobum (Decaisne) Piccone and spectabile Harvey, occur in Japan. Hitherto, all specimens from Japan referable to this genus have been named jungermannioides Ruprecht. However, is a heterotypic synonym acutilobum. The robust appears be more common than Both are essentially tropical, having reported numerous islands the central Pacific Ocean. Southern northern extension for these species. Fewer 20 names exist Cheilosporum as currently construed. On basis...

SUMMARY Gracilaria firma Chang et Xia is newly recorded for Japan, where it grows at Okinawa Island, on the Pacific coast of Ryukyu Archipelago. This species characterized by (i) cylindrical axes with a discoid holdfast; (ii) branches and branchlets constricted their bases; (iii) acute to blunt apices; (iv) colour greenish-brown yellowish-brown; (v) scarce traversing filament between dense gonimoblast pericarp; (vi) deep, pot-shaped Verrucosa-type spermatangial conceptacles. The Japanese...

Partial rbcL sequences from type specimens of three the earliest described Corallina species showed that C. arbuscula (type locality: Unalaska Island, Alaska, USA) and pilulifera Okhotsk Sea, Russia) are synonymous, with as taxonomically accepted name vancouveriensis Botanical Beach, Vancouver Canada) is a distinct species. To identify molecular limits clarify descriptions distributions vancouveriensis, we sequenced analyzed portions one mitochondrial two plastid genes historical recent...