First Record of Ulva pertusa Kjellman (Ulvales, Chlorophyta) in the Pacific Coast of Mexico

doi:2008.23.3.201

Algae > Volume 23(3); 2008 > Article

Algae 2008;23(3): 201-207. doi: https://doi.org/10.4490/algae.2008.23.3.201

Raúl Aguilar-Rosas¹^*, Luis E. Aguilar-Rosas² and Satoshi Shimada³

¹Facultad de Ciencias Marinas, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Apartado Postal 453, 22830, Ensenada, Baja California, México
²Instituto de Investigaciones Oceanológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Apartado Postal 453, 22830, Ensenada, Baja California, México
³Division of the Natural/Applied Sciences, Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences, Ochanomizu University, Tokyo, 1128610, Japan

*Corresponding Author

Email: raguilar@uabc.mx

ABSTRACT

Based on samplings during 2006-2007 on the intertidal zone of Playa Tampico, Erendira and Punta Baja, Baja California, Ulva pertusa Kjellman (Ulvales, Chlorophyta) was recorded for the first time for the Pacific coast of Mexico. An alga native to Asia, U. pertusa has just recently been recorded in the southern coast of California (USA). The identification of U. pertusa was based on the observation of the morphology and reproductive characters of the collected specimens. Furthermore, the species identity was confirmed by molecular comparison between nuclearencoded ITS2 sequences of the Mexican samples and those of other Ulva species in GenBnak data. Habitat and distribution of U. pertusa along the Pacific coast of North America are also described. Considering our new report of its occurrence in Mexico, we conclude that U. pertusa is expanding its geographical distribution by trans-ocean introductions.

Key words: Baja California, introduced species, morphology, reproduction, Ulva pertusa Kjellman