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Rhodenigma contortum , an obscure new genus and species of Rhodogorgonales (Rhodophyta) from Western Australia
Author(s) -
West John A.,
Zuccarello Giuseppe C.,
Goër Susan Loiseaux,
Stavrias Lambros A.,
Verbruggen Heroen
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of phycology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.85
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1529-8817
pISSN - 0022-3646
DOI - 10.1111/jpy.12402
Subject(s) - biology , coral , algae , asexual reproduction , genus , red algae , cnidaria , protein filament , fragmentation (computing) , botany , ecology , genetics
An unknown microscopic, branched filamentous red alga was isolated into culture from coral fragments collected in Coral Bay, Western Australia. It grew well unattached or attached to glass with no reproduction other than fragmentation of filaments. Cells of some branch tips became slightly contorted and digitated, possibly as a substrate‐contact‐response seen at filament tips of various algae. Attached multicellular compact disks on glass had a very different cellular configuration and size than the free filaments. In culture the filaments did not grow on or in coral fragments. Molecular phylogenies based on four markers ( rbc L, cox 1, 18S, 28S) clearly showed it belongs to the order Rhodogorgonales, as a sister clade of Renouxia . Based on these results, the alga is described as the new genus and species Rhodenigma contortum in the Rhodogorgonaceae. It had no morphological similarity to either of the other genera in Rhodogorgonaceae and illustrates the unknown diversity in cryptic habitats such as tropical coral rubble.