A re-evaluation of subtidal Lithophyllum species (Corallinales, Rhodophyta) from North Carolina, USA, and the proposal of L. searlesii sp. nov. Issue 3 (1st May 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Richards, Joseph L.; Gabrielson, Paul W.; Hughey, Jeffery R.; Freshwater, D. Wilson
• Is Part Of: Phycologia. Volume 57:Issue 3(2018)
• Page Start: 318
• Page End: 330
• Publication Date: 2018-05-01
• Subjects: Hard bottom -- Lithophyllum atlanticum -- Lithophyllum intermedium -- Lithophyllum subtenellum -- psbA -- rbcL -- Subtidal -- Systematics -- UPA; Algology -- Periodicals; Algae -- Periodicals; Algae; Natuurkunde; Algae; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 579.805
• DOI: 10.2216/17-110.1
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0031-8884

Abstract

Abstract: The current identification of crustose coralline algae from North Carolina is based on a few morphoanatomical studies from the last century. We reassessed the type specimens of the two Lithophyllum species historically reported from offshore communities in North Carolina, L. intermedium with a Caribbean Sea type locality and L. subtenellum with an Atlantic southern France type locality, using scanning electron microscopy images and diagnostic rbc L sequences. Neither of the sequences generated from the type specimens matched rbc L sequences from contemporary specimens collected from subtidal North Carolina epibenthic communities. On the basis of analyses of rbc L and other loci ( psb A, UPA, and COI), we instead found L. atlanticum, recently described from Brazil, and L. searlesii sp. nov . from Onslow Bay, North Carolina. These sequence data show that L. atlanticum is related to northeast Pacific species, whereas L. searlesii is related to Mediterranean species.