Reinboldiella koreana sp. nov. (Ceramiales, Rhodophyta) is the correct name for the specimens previously known as Reinboldiella schmitziana in Korea
Article information
Abstract
Epiphytic algae are important components of marine ecosystems. Despite the importance of epiphytic algae in marine ecosystems, our knowledge of these taxa is still limited. The marine red algal genus Reinboldiella, which is distributed mainly in the northwestern Pacific region, is characterized by tiny thalli that are epiphytic on various other red algae. Six species of the genus have been reported in Japan, Taiwan, and Korea. In this study, 50 Korean Reinboldiella specimens, previously known as Reinboldiella schmitziana, were collected from 11 localities and reexamined to verify their taxonomic status. We describe a new species, Reinboldiella koreana sp. nov., based on rbcL phylogeny and morphological observations. A total of four grateloupiacean species (Pachymeniopsis lanceolata, P. elliptica, Grateloupia turuturu, and G. asiatica) were identified as host species of R. koreana sp. nov. Due to the restricted host range of R. koreana sp. nov., a phylogenetic tree was reconstructed using the cox1 marker to confirm the co-phylogenetic relationships between the epiphytic algae and their grateloupiacean hosts. Two of the four cox1 haplotypes of R. koreana were found in different host species, regardless of which haplotype they were. It indicates that there are no co-phylogenetic relationships between R. koreana and host species.
INTRODUCTION
The epiphytic mode of life is common in a variety of marine organisms (e.g., Gauna et al. 2015, Trevizan Segovia et al. 2021). Epiphytic algae, which grow on other algae or plants, have a variety of effects on marine ecosystems. For example, epiphytic macroalgae play important roles in the richness and composition of alga-associated fauna (Armitage and Sjøtun 2016). In contrast, some epiphytic algae have a negative impact on aquaculture by acting as pathogens or reducing the productivity of host algae (Behera et al. 2022). However, our knowledge of the epiphytic algae remains limited.
The marine red algal genus Reinboldiella De Toni includes seven species distributed mainly in the northwestern Pacific region (Guiry and Guiry 2024). It is characterized by its tiny, fully corticated, membranous flat or cylindrical thalli epiphytic on various other red algae (Itono 1977, Lin and Hommersand 2007). Six species of Reinboldiella have been described based on specimens collected from Japan (R. filamentosa Itono, R. robusta Itono, and R. schmitziana [Reinbold] De Toni) and Taiwan (R. orientalis Showe M. Lin & M. Suzuki, R. taiwanensis Showe M. Lin & M. Suzuki, and R. warburgii [Heydrich] Yoshida & Mikami) (Suzuki and Lin 2017). Recently, Barros-Barreto et al. (2023) proposed the transfer of Ceramium filicula Harvey ex Womersley from Australia and Brazil to the genus Reinboldiella.
R. schmitziana, the type species of the genus, was described by Reinbold (1895, as Gloiothamnion schmitzianum Reinbold) from Japan. This species has been widely reported from not only the northwestern Pacific Ocean (Korea, Japan, and Taiwan), but also from various regions outside the northwestern Pacific region (e.g., South America, Indonesia, Easter Island; see Guiry and Guiry 2024 for the details). However, the type specimen was not designated and the type locality was known as “in mari Japonico,” without no specific name provided for the collection site. Recently, Suzuki and Lin (2017) analyzed R. schmitziana-like specimens from Taiwan, and concluded that they should be identified as two new different species (R. orientalis and R. taiwanensis), which differ from R. schmitziana from Japan.
R. schmitziana is the only member of the genus found in Korea, occurring epiphytically on Pachymeniopsis lanceolata (Okamura) Yamada ex Kawabata (Kim and Hwang 2012). To date, two specimens from Korea have been confirmed with molecular data (i.e., AY945772: Cho et al. 2008, DQ787576: Yang et al. 2016); these were collected from the same site (Guryongpo, Pohang, and Gyeongbuk), and no information is available regarding their morphology or host species. In addition, their sequences differed from the R. schmitziana from the type locality, Japan (LC201465; Choshi, Chiba Pref.) (Suzuki and Lin 2017).
This study was performed to clarify the taxonomic status of Korean Reinboldiella specimens that have been previously known as R. schmitziana, using molecular data, to identify their host species, and to examine whether there are co-phylogenetic relationships with the host species.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Taxon sampling and morphological observations
Specimens were collected from the intertidal and subtidal zones of 11 collection sites in Korea from 2020 to 2023. Specimens of Korean Reinboldiella could be easily detected with the naked eye despite their tiny thallus (usually less than 1 cm) when growing on Pachymeniopsis lanceolata, the known host of Korean Reinboldiella. This is because the host species generally have lighter colors than Reinboldiella. After discovering some specimens of Reinboldiella growing on P. elliptica, we have been trying to find more hosts, including a variety of red algae, not limited to the Grateloupiaceae, but have been unable to find them with the naked eye. Collection information of 50 specimens is provided in Supplementary Table S1. Collected samples were observed under a dissecting microscope. Photomicrographs were taken using a microscope (SMZ745T; Nikon, Tokyo, Japan; BX41; Olympus, Tokyo, Japan) and digital camera. Small pieces of the thallus were removed and used for DNA extraction, and the remainder was air-dried and stored with silica gel. Several specimens were preserved in seawater containing 4–5% formalin for morphological observation. Microscopic observations of female reproductive structures were stained with 1% aqueous aniline blue. Voucher specimens were deposited in the herbarium of Jeju National University and National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea (MABIK).
Molecular analysis
Total genomic DNA was extracted from the fresh or dried specimens using LaboPass Tissue Mini kit (Cosmo Genetech, Seoul, Korea) accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. We sequenced both Korean Reinboldiella and its host species using two genes (rbcL and cox1). To confirm the taxonomic status of Korean Reinboldiella specimens and reconfirm the identification of the host species, the rbcL gene was selected. The F7 (Gavio and Fredericq 2002), rbcL-F145, and rbcL-R898 (Kim et al. 2010) primers were used to amplify the rbcL gene. The cox1 gene was selected to evaluate the genetic diversity within the Korean Reinboldiella population and determine whether there are co-phylogenetic relationships with the host species. The cox1-F115Haly and R702Haly primer pair (Kim et al. 2021) was used to amplify halymenialean host species. New primer pairs (cox1-F105Rein: 5′-AGG CGG CTG TAT GTC AAT GTT AAT TCG A-3′, cox1-R835Rein: 5′-CCA ATT GAA ATC ATG GCA TAA ACC ATA CC-3′) were designed for the cox1 amplification of Reinboldiella specimens. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification was performed using AccuPower PCR PreMix (Bioneer, Daejeon, Korea). Amplification condition for both genes were as described by Kim et al. (2023). The PCR products were purified with ExoSAP-IT Express PCR Product Cleanup Reagents (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, MA, USA), and sequenced commercially by Bionics Co. (Seoul, Korea).
The sequencing reads were edited and assembled to a consensus using Geneious v. 11.1.5 (http://www.geneious.com) (Kearse et al. 2012), and aligned for phylogenetic analyses with other sequences obtained from GenBank. A total of 1,467 bp of rbcL was aligned to construct the phylogenetic tree. It includes 51 sequences representing six species of Reinboldiella and two ceramiacean genera (Carpoblephris and Herpochondria) known as sister genera to Reinboldiella from previous study (Barros-Barreto et al. 2023) as outgroups. In the co-phylogeny of the cox1 gene, 546 bp of host sequences and 722 bp of Reinboldiella sequences were aligned, respectively, without outgroups. It includes 37 and 47 sequences representing three host species and the Korean Reinboldiella species, respectively. Maximum likelihood (ML) analysis was performed with 1,000 bootstrap replicates in raxmlGUI V2.0 program (Edler et al. 2021) using the GTR + Γ evolutionary model. A haplotype network was built based on 47 cox1 sequences of Korean Reinboldiella specimens using the minimum spanning network approach implemented in PopART V1.7 (Leigh and Bryant 2015). Nucleotide and haplotype diversity levels were calculated using DnaSP V6 (Rozas et al. 2017). Because some sequences had a small number of base pairs analyzed, only 1,245 bp of the rbcL and 643 bp of the cox1 sequences were used to calculate genetic diversity.
RESULTS
Phylogenetic analyses
In this study, a total of 121 new sequences were generated, 37 rbcL (15 of host, 22 of Reinboldiella) and 84 cox1 (37 of host, 47 of Reinboldiella). All 24 rbcL sequences (including two published sequences) of Korean Reinboldiella specimens were monophyletic with full support (100%). The rbcL phylogeny confirmed the monophyly of the genus Reinboldiella, distributed in Korea, Japan, and Taiwan with full support (referred as northwestern Pacific Reinboldiella in Fig. 1; 100%). However, monophyly with R. filicula, which was recently suggested as a new member of the genus Reinboldiella (Barros-Barreto et al. 2023), was not strongly supported (referred as Reinboldiella sensu Barros-Barreto et al. 2023 in Fig. 1; 79%). The Korean Reinboldiella specimens, described here as R. koreana sp. nov., were distinct from other species in the genus. R. koreana sp. nov. showed a sister relationship with R. taiwanensis, with moderate support (71%) (Fig. 1). R. koreana sp. nov. differed clearly from the generitype R. schmitziana from Japan (LC201465), showing 36–38 bp (2.9–3.1%) rbcL sequence divergence (Supplementary Table S2). The rbcL interspecific divergence between R. koreana and R. taiwanensis was 26–28 bp (2.1–2.2%). Within the Reinboldiella clade, intraspecific divergence ranged from 0 to 5 bp differences (0–0.4%), whereas interspecific divergence between species ranged from 21 bp (1.7% between R. orientalis and R. warburgii) to 60 bp (4.8% between R. koreana and R. orientalis).
Maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree based on rbcL sequences. Bootstrap values are shown on above the branches. The taxa in bold indicate newly analyzed in this study. The numbers in parentheses after the species name indicate that the number of specimens with identical sequences. The thicker branches represent two different views of the genus Reinboldiella; “Northwestern Pacific Reinboldiella” refers to traditional view of the genus Reinboldiella and “Reinboldiella sensu Barros-Barreto et al. 2023” refers to suggested as expended concept of the genus Reinboldiella suggested in Barros-Barreto et al. (2023).
Taxonomic treatment
Reinboldiella koreana S. Y. Kim & M. S. Kim, sp. nov. (Figs 2–4)
Type specimen and various habits of Reinboldiella koreana sp. nov. (A) Holotype (arrow B; MABIK AL00100599, 2305-009epR2) and isotype (arrow C; 2305-009epR1) specimen of R. koreana sp. nov. and the host Pachymeniopsis elliptica (2305-009H), collected in Seockbyoungri, Pohang, Korea, on May 2, 2023. (B) Holotype specimen of R. koreana, tetrasporophyte. (C) Isotype specimens of R. koreana, female plant. (D) Plant showing broadly developed prostrate blades (2304-009epR; Gijang, Busan, Korea on Apr 6, 2023). (E) Young plant showing developing prostrate blades (arrows) and erect blades (arrowhead) (2305-020epR; Gijang, Busan). (F) Thallus with unbranched erect blades (2307-011epR; Pohang). (G) Plant showing unilaterally branched erect blades (2302-010ep; Gijang, Busan). Scale bars represent: B–D, 1 mm; E–G, 0.5 mm.
Detailed structure of Reinboldiella koreana sp. nov. (2302-012epR). (A) Transverse section showing an axial cell (ax), six periaxial cells (p). (B) The plant is attached to the host by unicellular rhizoids (arrows). (C) Independent rhizoids arising from the ventral side of prostrate thallus (arrow). Scale bars represent: A, 50 μm; B & C, 20 μm.
Tetrasporophyte (A–E) and carposporophyte (F–H) of Reinboldiella koreana sp. nov. (A–C, 2305-020epR; D & E, 2302-012epR; F, 2305-020epR; G, 2307-027epR; H, 2305-008F). (A) Habit of tetrasporophyte. (B) Surface view of tetrasporangia-bearing thallus. Tetrasporangia (arrows) are scattered on the surface of the thallus. (C) Tetrasporangia (arrow) are cruciately divided. (D) Tetrasporangia (arrows) borne on subcortical cells (arrowheads). (E) Tetrasporangia (arrows) are scattered on both sides of the tetrasporangia-bearing blades. (F) Habit of carposporophyte. Arrows indicate involucral bladelets. (G) Female plant showing carposporophyte (arrowhead) surrounded by two involucral bladelets (arrows). (H) Carposporophyte showing three gonimolobes (g1–g3) at different ages. Scale bars represent: A & F, 1 mm; B, G & H, 100 μm; C & D, 20 μm; E, 50 μm.
Description
Plants are dark red in color, epiphytic on other red algae, usually less than 1 cm (up to 1.2 cm) in height, 0.1–0.5 mm wide (Fig. 2A). Thalli consist of erect and prostrate blades. Erect blades are cylindrical to compressed, elongated shape, have smooth margin, acute apices, and have irregular branches throughout the entire thallus (Fig. 2B–G). Prostrate blades are cylindrical, rarely branched, and shorter than erect blades (less than 1 mm), arranged to form a rosette-like appearance (Fig. 2E–G). Thalli are uniaxial, comprised of axial cells, periaxial cells, and cortical cells. Each axial cell bears six periaxial cells of similar size (Fig. 3A). Thalli attached to the hosts by unicellular rhizoids (Fig. 3B & C). Tetrasporophytes have essentially the same morphology as those of sterile and female plants, but the tetrasporangia-bearing blades are usually slightly longer (Fig. 4A). Tetrasporangia are scattered over the surface of fertile thalli (Fig. 4B), round to oblong, 20–25 μm long by 25–30 μm in diameter and cruciately divided (Fig. 4C). Tetrasporangia are produced from subcortical cells (Fig. 4D) and are scattered on both sides of the sporangia-bearing blades (Fig. 4E). Female plants are easily distinguishable when they bear carposporophytes by many branching and involucral bladelets (Fig. 4F & G). Carposporophytes are naked but surrounded by 2–5 involucral bladelets when mature (Fig. 4G). Three gonimolobes of different sizes and ages are produced in a single carposporophyte (Fig. 4H). Carposporangia are subspherical, 16–22 μm long by 14–20 μm in diameter. Male plants were not observed.
Holotype
MABIK AL00100599, 2305-009epR2, tetrasporophyte, intertidal zone of Pohang, Korea, collected by S. Y. Kim, May 2, 2023 (Fig. 2B), as epiphyte of Pachymeniopsis elliptica Holmes, deposited at the herbarium of the National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea (MABIK). GenBank accession number: PP400814 (rbcL), PP400805 (cox1).
Isotype
2305-009epR1, female, collected on May 2, 2023 (Fig. 2C); 2305-008epR1, female, collected on May 2, 2023, epiphytic on Pachymeniopsis lanceolata.
Type locality
Seockbyoungri, Pohang, Korea (36°01′ 13.3″ N, 129°34′53.6″ E).
Etymology
The epithet ‘koreana’ refers to Korea, where the new species is found.
Distribution
Found along the coastlines of south and east coast of Korea.
Habitat and seasonality
Plants were most easily found in spring (March–May), but also in summer and winter, in intertidal and subtidal zones. Tetrasporophytes were observed on May and July, while female gametophytes were observed February, April, May, and July. Plants were mostly epiphytic on Pachymeniopsis lanceolata and P. elliptica, and rarely on Grateloupia turuturu Yamada and G. asiatica S. Kawaguchi & H. W. Wang.
Genetic diversity of Reinboldiella koreana
A total of 47 sequences of the cox1 gene with 643 bp were analyzed from 47 specimens of Korean R. koreana specimens. The intraspecific divergence of R. koreana was ranged from 0 to 7 bp differences (0–1.1%). Four haplotypes (H1, H2, H3, and H4) with 9 polymorphic sites were detected (Fig. 5). The nucleotide diversity was 0.00189, and the haplotype diversity was 0.272. The most dominant haplotype (H1) occurred in 85% of individuals (40 of 47). The H1 haplotype was distributed in Busan, Pohang, and Ulleungdo. Haplotype H2, found on the eastern coast of Korea, including Pohang, Uljin, and Yangyang, differed from H1 by three mutational steps. Haplotype H3 and H4 were found only on the southern coast of Korea (Geumodo and Ando).
Haplotype network and distribution map of Reinboldiella koreana sp. nov. based on cox1 sequences. Each color represents a haplotype, and the number in parentheses represents the number of specimens.
Host range and their co-phylogenetic relationships
As a result of four years of observation, we identified four host species of R. koreana (Supplementary Fig. S1) based on rbcL sequences: Pachymeniopsis lanceolata, P. elliptica, Grateloupia asiatica, and G. turuturu, belonging to the family Grateloupiaceae (Halymeniales). Among these, the most common host of R. koreana was P. lanceolata, followed by P. elliptica, whereas G. asiatica and G. turuturu were identified as rare host species of R. koreana. Although we have been trying to find various hosts, have been unable to find them with the naked eye. Reinboldiella specimens epiphytic on two rare hosts (G. asiatica and G. turuturu) were discovered accidentally, with the help of microscopy and molecular analysis, with only one specimen found for each host.
As all of the host species belonged to a specific family of Rhodophyta (i.e., Grateloupiaceae), we hypothesized that R. koreana might exhibit host specificity. To verify whether each haplotype of R. koreana exhibits host specificity, ML phylogenies of R. koreana and the host species were constructed and compared (Fig. 6). Two of four cox1 haplotypes (H1 and H2) were found in two different host species. For example, R. koreana specimens with haplotype H1 were found not only on P. lanceolata but also on P. elliptica. Moreover, R. koreana specimens with haplotype H2 were found in two different genera (Pachymeniopsis and Grateloupia, bold line in Fig. 6). These observations indicate that there are no co-phylogenetic relationships between haplotypes of R. koreana and their host species.
Maximun likelihood (ML) phylogenies of epiphytic Reinboldiella koreana sp. nov. and host species. Left: ML tree of R. koreana, showing four cox1 haplotypes (H1–H4). Right: ML tree of hosts showing the three grateloupiacean species, Pachymeniopsis lanceolata, Pachymeniopsis elliptica, and Grateloupia turuturu. Lines between trees indicate observed host-epiphyte associations. Bold lines highlight taxa mentioned in the text. Colors indicate collection locations. Gray indicates collection locations of R. koreana samples (Gooduckpo and Youngdo) without the cox1 sequence but with the rbcL sequence.
DISCUSSION
In the phylogenetic tree, Reinboldiella specimens collected from Korea with other Reinboldiella species from the northwestern Pacific region were grouped into a monophyletic clade with strong support. Korean Reinboldiella specimens were sister to R. taiwanensis, not R. schmitziana, the name previously used in Korea. Moreover, detailed morphological observations showed that they differed from all other Reinboldiella species. Therefore, R. koreana sp. nov. is herein described as a new member of genus Reinboldiella. Since there have been no reports of other Reinboldiella species except R. schmitziana in Korea, R. koreana is considered to be the only record of the genus in Korea to date.
As suggested by Suzuki and Lin (2017), each species of Reinboldiella is distinguished based on the size and morphology of the erect and prostrate blades. R. koreana sp. nov. is distinguished from other species in the genus by its combination of cylindrical to compressed, irregularly branched erect blades and rosette-like, cylindrical, rarely branched prostrate blades, which are much shorter than the erect blades (Table 1). R. koreana can be distinguished from R. schmitziana by its prostrate blades, which is rarely branched, cylindrical, and much shorter than the erect blades. On the other hand, R. schmitziana have branched prostrate blades that are mostly longer than erect bladelets (Suzuki and Lin 2017). The size and branching pattern of erect blades can also be used to distinguish between the two species. R. koreana is slightly larger and has thinner, irregularly branched erect blades than R. schmitziana. Additionally, it is known that the erect blades of R. schmitziana bearing many pinnately arranged lateral branchlets (Suzuki and Lin 2017), but these were not found in our observations of R. koreana specimens.
Comparison of the morphological characteristics of Reinboldiella species
R. schmitziana, the type species of the genus, has been widely reported from not only Korea and Taiwan near the type locality (i.e., Japan), but also in South America, Easter Island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, and Indonesia (Guiry and Guiry 2024). However, R. schmitziana-like specimens from Taiwan have been recognized as two new species (R. taiwanensis and R. orientalis) based on the results of detailed molecular and morphological analyses (Suzuki and Lin 2017). Our study also showed that specimens previously known as R. schmitziana in Korea represented an independent species different from R. schmitziana from Japan and five other Reinboldiella species from the northwestern Pacific region.
In addition to the different identity of the samples from Korea, Japan, and Taiwan revealed above, the very restricted distribution pattern of Reinboldiella species (refer to the Supplementary Fig. S2) suggests a need for reconsideration of the distribution of R. schmitziana. Suzuki and Lin (2017) reported that R. orientalis was restricted only to northeastern Taiwan. R. taiwanensis has a wider distribution than R. orientalis, but is still restricted to Taiwan. In addition, R. filamentosa and R. robusta have not been studied since their first descriptions from the southern islands of Japan (Guiry and Guiry 2024). Considering these Reinboldiella species distribution patterns, records of Reinboldiella outside the northeastern Pacific region (i.e., Ramírez and Santelices 1991, Silva et al. 1996) may be questionable. We also believe that the generitype, R. schmitziana, appears to be restricted to Japan, particularly on the pacific side. It is because the only R. schmitziana sample analyzed using molecular marker (LC201465) was a sample collected from Choshi, Chiba, located on the pacific side of Japan (refer to Supplementary Fig. S2), and this area is affected by the Kuroshio Warm Currents (Ando et al. 2021), unlike the waters around the Korean peninsula.
Although Barros-Barreto et al. (2023) suggested Ceramium filicula from Australia and Brazil as a new member of genus Reinboldiella, the species is very different from other Reinboldiella species (Table 1). The most remarkable characteristics distinguishing R. filicula from other Reinboldiella species is the level of cortication. Like many other common Ceramium species, R. filicula is partially corticated, whereas all other Reinboldiella species are fully corticated (Womersley 1978, Barros-Barreto et al. 2023). In addition, R. filicula shows different characteristics from other Reinboldiella species in terms of biogeography, the number, origin, and position of the tetrasporangia (Womersley 1978, Barros-Barreto et al. 2023). Finally, bootstrap support for the clade of extended Reinboldiella was not strong. Therefore, we considered that R. filicula could be a separate genus from Reinboldiella. However, because samples from Australia and Brazil are not available, it is premature to describe it as a new genus. Further investigations with more species (R. filamentosa and R. robusta) are needed to reach a definitive conclusion regarding the generic boundary of genus Reinboldiella.
The haplotype diversity of R. koreana (0.272) was very low compared to the other Korean ceramialean species (Ceramothamnion japonicum [Okamura] M. J. Wynne & C. W. Schneider: 0.921 in Yang et al. 2009, Polysiphonia morrowii Harvey: 0.498 in Geoffroy et al. 2016). Therefore, most specimens had the same haplotype (H1). However, our sampling was concentrated on the southeastern coast of Korea (Busan and Pohang), where this new species is often found. Therefore, further studies including more specimens from southern coastal populations are necessary to understand the genetic diversity, population structure, and demographic history of this species. In particular, high haplotype diversity was observed despite small sample numbers (two haplotypes were found in three samples), indicating a need for more sampling.
Previously, R. koreana was found epiphytically on P. lanceolata (Kim and Hwang 2012, as R. schmitziana). In this study, more halymenialean species (P. elliptica, G. asiatica, and G. turuturu) were identified as host species of R. koreana. Although we did not identify other host species, the possibility of their existence cannot be excluded. In particular, the fact that R. koreana specimens found in G. asiatica and G. turuturu were too small (< 2 mm) to be identified with the naked eye without a microscope supports the high probability of finding new hosts. However, host species appear to be restricted to the red algal family Grateloupiaceae. Except for R. filicula (large brown algae such as Sargassum), other Reinboldiella species, like R. koreana, are mainly found on grateloupiacean hosts (Table 1).
Organisms that interact biologically with other organisms (e.g., parasites, pollinators, and endosymbionts) undergo coevolution (e.g., Braga et al. 2018, Allio et al. 2021). Some studies have shown that these symbiotic species show co-phylogenetic relationships (e.g., Fuzessy et al. 2022, Hammoud et al. 2022). However, in this study, no co-phylogenetic relationships were detected between R. koreana and its host species. In particular, R. koreana specimens with haplotype H2 were found in two different genera (refer to the bold line in Fig. 6). Nevertheless, R. koreana showed a particular preference for two Pachymeniopsis species (P. lanceolata and P. elliptica). Therefore, further studies including ecological factors (e.g., host surface characteristics, chemical interactions between R. koreana and hosts, and associated bacteria) may explain relationships between R. koreana and its hosts, such as host preference.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This work was partly supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education of Korea to SYK (NRF-2022R1C1C2004043) and MSK (NRF-2020R1I1A2069706), and the research program to ECY (No. PEA0205) of the Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology. This work also was supported by the Management of Marine Fishery Bio-resources Center (2024) funded by the National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea (MABIK). This work was performed in part using materials freely distributed by the National Biological Resources Bank of NIBR. We thank S.Y. Han for collecting subtidal samples in Pohang, Korea.
Notes
The authors declare that they have no potential conflicts of interest.
SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS
Supplementary Table S1. Sample list of Reinboldiella species (https://www.e-algae.org).
algae-2024-39-3-149-Supplementary-Table-S1.pdfSupplementary Table S2. Distance matrix among the species of Reinboldiella using 1,245 bp of rbcL gene (https://www.e-algae.org).
algae-2024-39-3-149-Supplementary-Table-S2.pdfSupplementary Fig. S1. Maximum likelihood tree of Grateloupiaceae based on rbcL sequences. Red color indicates the host species of Reinboldiella koreana (https://www.e-algae.org).
algae-2024-39-3-149-Supplementary-Fig-S1.pdfSupplementary Fig. S2. Distribution map of the genus Reinboldiella in the northwestern Pacific region (https://www.e-algae.org).
algae-2024-39-3-149-Supplementary-Fig-S2.pdf