Laurencia longiramea sp. nov. for Brazil and an emendation of the generic delineation of Corynecladia (Ceramiales, Rhodophyta)

Author(s)

Cassano, Valeria ^[1] ; Santos, Gabriel do Nascimento ^[2] ; dos Santos Pestana, Edilene Maria ^[2] ; de Castro Nunes, Jose Marcos ^[3] ; Oliveira, Mariana C. ^[1] ; Fujii, Mutue T. ^[4]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Biociencias, Dept Bot, Rua Matao 277, BR-05508090 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Estadual Feira de Santana, Dept Ciencias Biol, Programa Posgrad Bot, Ave Transnordestina S-N, BR-44036900 Feira De Santana, BA - Brazil

^[3] Univ Fed Bahia, Inst Biol, Lab Algas Marinhas, Rua Barao de Jeremoabo S-N, BR-40170115 Salvador, BA - Brazil

^[4] Inst Bot, Nucleo Pesquisa Ficol, Ave Miguel Estefano 3687, BR-04301012 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: PHYCOLOGIA; v. 58, n. 2, p. 115-127, 2019.
• Web of Science Citations: 3

Abstract

Studies of the Laurencia complex based on phylogenetic and DNA barcoding analyses revealed a new species, Laurencia longiramea Cassano, G.N. Santos, J.M.C. Nunes, M.C. Oliveira \& M.T. Fujii sp. nov., on the Brazilian coast. The rbcL phylogenetic analysis resolved L. longiramea as sister to Laurencia species from the North Atlantic (L. pyramidalis, L. viridis and L. obtusa) and the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico (L. intricata), with a divergence of 2.4%-3.7%. Using the DNA barcode COI-5P, L. longiramea was closest to L. pacifica from the United States, with a divergence of 4.2%. The new species has the typical features of the genus Laurencia and is characterised by: sparse branching, axes smaller than 1 mm diameter, often long branchlets, lenticular thickenings always present and abundant, and absence of cortical cells projected near branch apices. Morphologically, L. longiramea is similar to Laurencia filiformis. However, an rbcL sequence of L. filiformis from the type locality (Western Australia) confirmed that they are distinct species, with 4.3% divergence. Examination of Laurencia clavata from Brazil, deposited in the University of SAo Paulo (SPF) herbarium, were misidentified and corresponded to the new species, L. longiramea. In addition, the rbcL and COI-5P sequences of L. clavata from the type locality (Australia) did not join with L. longiramea. Laurencia clavata formed a well-supported clade with the two species of Coronaphycus. Priority supported the recognition of Corynecladia over Coronaphycus, requiring the new combinations Corynecladia elata (C.Agardh) comb. nov. and Corynecladia nova (Metti) comb. nov. Based on our results, Corynecladia clavata does not occur in the Brazilian marine flora. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 18/06085-1 - Diversity and phylogeny of the Laurencia complex (Rhodophyta) in the tropical and subtropical Atlantic Ocean
• Grantee: Valéria Cassano
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants