Morphology and molecular study of Pterosiphonia arenosa sp. nov. (Rhodomelaceae, Rhodophyta) from Jeju Island, Korea

doi:2012.27.4.259

Algae > Volume 27(4); 2012 > Article

Algae 2012;27(4): 259-268. doi: https://doi.org/10.4490/algae.2012.27.4.259

Myung Sook Kim, Su Yeon Kim, Mi Yeon Yang, Byeongseok Kim, Pilar Díaz-Tapia

¹Department of Biology and Research Institute for Basic Sciences, Jeju National University, Jeju 690-756, Korea
²Department of Biology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 305-764, Korea
³Departamento de Bioloxía Animal, Bioloxía Vexetal e Ecoloxía, Facultade de Ciencias, University of A Coruña, Campus da Zapateira s/n, 15071 A Coruña, Spain

*Corresponding Author

Email: myungskim@jejunu.ac.kr

ABSTRACT

The genus Pterosiphonia is composed of 22 species worldwide and four of these species have been reported in the North-East Asia. In Korea, P. pennata originally described from the Mediterranean Sea has been previously recorded from the southern coast as a widespread species. In order to confirm the same species from Korea and Mediterranean, we observed the morphology of Korean Pterosiphonia specimen and analyzed rbcL sequences for inferring phylogenetic relationships among similar congeners. Korean entity was recognized as a new species, Pterosiphonia arenosa sp. nov. The new species is characterized by ecorticate axes with 7-10 pericentral cells, branches formed every two segments, and coalesced with main axis over 1-1.25 axial segments, and tetrasporangia formed in straight series on determinate branches of the upper parts of erect axes. A phylogenetic analysis of rbcL sequences demonstrated that P. arenosa was distinct from P. pennata found in Spain as well as other species. In conclusion, morphological and molecular sequence data indicated that P. arenosa sp. nov. has been previously misidentified as P. pennata in Korea.

Key words: morphology; Pterosiphonia arenosa sp. nov.; P. pennata; rbcL; Rhodophyta; taxonomy