Morphological and molecular characterization of Hapalospongidion gelatinosum, Hapalospongidiaceae fam. nov. (Ralfsiales, Phaeophyceae) from Mexico

• Published in: Botanica marina Vol. 60; no. 5; pp. 567 - 581
• Main Authors: León-Alvarez, Daniel, Reyes-Gómez, Viviana Patricia, Wynne, Michael J., Ponce-Márquez, María Edith, Quiróz-González, Nataly
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin De Gruyter 28.08.2017; Walter de Gruyter GmbH
• Subjects: Algae; Chloroplast DNA; Chloroplasts; Coding; Cytochrome; Cytochrome-c oxidase; Cytochromes; Deoxyribonucleic acid; Diagnostic systems; DNA; Gene sequencing; Hapalospongidiaceae; Lectotype; Lectotypes; Mitochondria; Morphology; New family; Nucleotide sequence; Oxidase; Phaeophyceae; Phylogeny; Ribulose-bisphosphate carboxylase; Synonymy; taxonomy; Tropical climate; Mexico
• ISSN: 0006-8055; 1437-4323
• DOI: 10.1515/bot-2017-0020

The morphology of the crustose brown alga is described in detail based on specimens collected on the Mexican tropical Pacific coast. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of DNA sequences of chloroplast-encoded RuBisCo large subunit ( L) and mitochondrial-encoded cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 ( -1) genes, reveals that our samples form a newly recognized clade distinct and distant from the clades of other families in Ralfsiales. Contrary to the previously proposed synonymy between and , we conclude that both are distinct genera. We also provide a different interpretation of a diagnostic character that allows a distinction of from the latter two genera. We propose the erection of the new family Hapalospongidiaceae to accommodate the sole genus . A Lectotype and an Epitype for . are designated.