New species of freshwater Ulva, Ulva limnetica (Ulvales, Ulvophyceae) from the Ryukyu Islands, Japan |
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| Authors: | Kensuke Ichihara Shogo Arai Masayuki Uchimura Etienne J Fay Hiroki Ebata Masanori Hiraoka Satoshi Shimada |
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| Institution: | Department of Natural History Sciences, Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0810, Japan;;Marine Algae Research Co. Ltd., Shingu, Fukuoka 811-0114, Japan;
Division of Coastal Environment, Port and Airport Research Institute, 3-1-1 Nagase, Yokosuka, Kanagawa 239-0826 Japan;;Fuyo Ocean Development and Engineering Co., Ltd., Tokyo 111-0051, Japan;;Usa Marine Biological Institute, Kochi University, Usa-cho, Tosa, Kochi 785-0167, Japan;;Division of the Natural/Applied Sciences, Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences, Ochanomizu University, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 112-8610, Japan |
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| Abstract: | Ulva limnetica Ichihara et Shimada, sp. nov. (Ulvales, Ulvophyceae) is described from the Ryukyu Islands, Japan, and is characterized by thalli that are: (i) branched, tubular, fragile and wrinkled; (ii) up to 80 cm in height and up to 2 cm in diameter; (iii) light to yellowish green in color; and (iv) having an asexual reproduction by means of quadriflagellate swarmers. Rhizoidal cells bear tubular extensions on the outside of the cell layer in the stipe. Ulva limnetica is distinguished from species with similar thalli by chloroplast disposition, branching pattern, number of pyrenoids per cell and gross morphology. It is also distinguished by sequences of the nuclear-encoded 18S ribosomal RNA gene, internal transcribed spacer 2 region and the plastid-encoded large subunit of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxgenase gene ( rbc L). Ulva limnetica was clustered with other Ulva species in an early diverging lineage within the genus. |
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| Keywords: | molecular phylogeny morphology rbcL taxonomy Ulva Ulva limnetica |
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