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Porphyra Birdiae Neefus et Mathieson (Bangiales, Rhodophyta): A New Species from the Northwest Atlantic |
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| Authors: | Neefus C D Mathieson A C Klein A S Teasdale B Bray T & Yarish C |
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| Institution: | Department of Plant Biology, University of New Hampshire, 46 College Rd., Durham, NH, 03824, USA;;Jackson Estuarine Laboratory, University of New Hampshire, Adams Point, Durham, NH, 03824, USA;;Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of New Hampshire, 46 College Rd., Durham, NH, 03824, USA;;Department of Eco-logy and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, 1 University Place, Stamford, CT 06901, USA |
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| Abstract: | Recent studies combining biochemical, molecular, and traditional morphological and ecological traits have shown that some currently recognized species of the red algal genus Porphyra are actually "form species" or "complexes" comprising several morphologically similar but genetically distinct taxa. Conflicting reports of chromosome numbers and differences in DNA sequences reported for Porphyra purpurea (Roth) C. Agardh have raised suspicion that more than one taxon has been confused under this name in the Northwest Atlantic. We have identified one of these cryptic taxa and have recently described it as a new species, Porphyra birdiae . Like P. purpurea (Roth) C. Agardh, it has an ovate to broadly elongate, foliose blade with reproductive areas segregated by a distinct line into male and female sectors. While reproductive specimens have historically been confused with P. purpurea , non-reproductive specimens of P. birdiae have been incorrectly identified as P. umbilicalis Kützing. Although P. birdiae is morphologically similar to both of these species, sequences of SSU (nuclear small subunit rRNA gene) and rbc L (plastid ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase large subunit gene) indicate that it is not closely related to either one. Based on rbc L sequences, P. birdiae is closely related to P. aestivalis Lindstrom et Fredericq, a proposed new species from Alaska. |
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