Multi-gene phylogeny reveals a new genus and species of Hapalidiales (Rhodophyta) from Antarctica: Thalassolithon adeliense gen. & sp. nov. Issue 1 (2nd January 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Trentin, Riccardo; Moschin, Emanuela; Grapputo, Alessandro; Rindi, Fabio; Schiaparelli, Stefano; Moro, Isabella
• Is Part Of: Phycologia. Volume 62:Issue 1(2023)
• Page Start: 83
• Page End: 98
• Publication Date: 2023-01-02
• Subjects: Coralline red algae -- Molecular phylogeny -- Morpho-anatomy -- Ross Sea -- Species delimitation models -- Taxonomy -- Terra Nova Bay; Algology -- Periodicals; Algae -- Periodicals; Algae; Natuurkunde; Algae; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 579.805
• DOI: 10.1080/00318884.2022.2147745
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0031-8884

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Non-geniculate coralline algal specimens were collected in 2013 during the XXVIII Italian Expedition to Antarctica in Adélie Cove (Terra Nova Bay; Ross Sea) and deposited in the collections of the Italian National Antarctic Museum (MNAIT, Section of Genoa). Specimens were characterized through a polyphasic approach combining DNA sequence data obtained for four genes ( psb A, rbc L, 18S rDNA and cox 1) with morpho-anatomical observations. DNA sequences revealed that all specimens belonged to the same species. Phylogenetic reconstructions unambiguously recovered this alga as a member of the order Hapalidiales, but without any close relationship to a genus of this order currently recognized on a molecular phylogenetic basis. Instead, it formed a well-supported lineage with specimens named 'Hapalidiales sp. ZH-Twist-2019', collected in New Zealand, for which no formal assignment at genus level has been proposed. Species delimitation methods (ABGD, PTP, GMYC) applied to the psb A dataset indicated that the Adélie Cove coralline alga is a distinct species from all other known hapalidialean species for which such sequences are available. A new genus, Thalassolithon gen. nov ., is proposed for T. adeliense sp. nov.