Analyzing the real diversity of the genus Lobophora J.Agardh (Dictyotales) in Brazil through morphoanatomical and molecular studies

• Grant number: 23/08251-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2023
• End date: August 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Botany - Plant Taxonomy
• Principal Investigator: Priscila Barreto de Jesus
• Grantee: Jéssica Vieira Santos
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas (CCNH). Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC). Ministério da Educação (Brasil). Santo André , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 22/03234-1 - Evolution and diversification of Phaeophyceae: exploring genomic data to understand the taxonomy, phylogeny and biogeography of brown algae, AP.PNGP.PI

Abstract

Determining the species of the genus Lobophora is complicated by the existence of few taxonomically distinctive morphological characters and, in most cases, it is not possible to distinguish the species only by their vegetative characteristics, being necessary to find breeding specimens for reliable identification. Currently, 73 species are recognized, but only L. variegata is widely distributed throughout the Brazilian coast. Considering the recent evidence of cryptic diversity in the genus and the absence of studies dedicated to the group, it is necessary to integrate morphological data and molecular in the taxonomic study of the group. Thus, this project aims to verify the real diversity of the genus on the Brazilian coast and establish taxonomic criteria for better delimitation of the studied species. Therefore, the DNA barcoding approach should be employed using the molecular marker cox3, along with morphoanatomical analyses.