Genomics reveals abundant speciation in the coral reef building alga Porolithon onkodes (Corallinales,Rhodophyta) |
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| Authors: | Paul W Gabrielson Jeffery R Hughey Guillermo Diaz‐Pulido |
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| Institution: | 1. Herbarium and Biology Department, University of North Carolina ‐ Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA;2. Division of Mathematics, Science, and Engineering, Hartnell College, Salinas, California, USA;3. School of Environment and Science, Australian Rivers Institute—Coast and Estuaries, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia;4. Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, Townsville, Queensland, Australia |
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| Abstract: | An essential suite of coral reef ecosystem engineers is coralline red algae. Among these, the smooth, encrusting Porolithon onkodes has historically been considered the most important and common reef building species worldwide. We assess P. onkodes biodiversity by performing a genomic analysis of the lectotype specimen collected in 1892 from the Tami Islands, Gulf of Huon, east of New Guinea. Comparisons of DNA sequences from the lectotype specimen to those deposited in GenBank and to newly generated sequences from both field‐collected and historical specimens demonstrate that at least 20 distinct species are passing under P. onkodes. We hypothesize that there were multiple evolutionary drivers including ecophysiology, hydrodynamic regimes, and biotic interactions as well as historical biogeography, which resulted in this high diversity of smooth, encrusting Porolithon species throughout the tropics. Our results emphasize the need to document the biodiversity, ecophysiology, and habitats of these tropical, reef‐building algae in light of climate change and ocean acidification. |
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