Australian Laurencia majuscula (Rhodophyta,Rhodomelaceae) and the Brazilian Laurencia dendroidea are conspecific |
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| Authors: | Yola Metti Alan JK Millar Valeria Cassano Mutue T Fujii |
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| Institution: | 1. National Herbarium of New South Wales, Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney, , Sydney, New South Wales, Australia;2. Departamento de Botanica, Universidade de S?o Paulo;3. Instituto de Botanica, , S?o Paulo, Brazil |
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| Abstract: | Morphological and molecular studies have been undertaken on two species of the red algal genus Laurencia J.V.Lamouroux: Laurencia majuscula (Harvey) A.H.S. Lucas and Laurencia dendroidea J.Agardh, both from their type localities. The phylogenetic position of these species was inferred by analysis of the chloroplast‐encoded rbcL gene sequences from 24 taxa. In all phylogenetic analyses, the Australian Laurencia majuscula and the Brazilian L. dendroidea formed a well‐supported monophyletic clade within the Laurencia sensu stricto. This clade was divided into two subclades corresponding to each geographical region; however, the genetic divergence between Australian L. majuscula and Brazilian L. dendroidea was only 0–1.35%. Examination of the type specimens and sequences of freshly collected samples of both Laurencia majuscula and L. dendroidea show the two to be conspecific despite their disjunct type localities. |
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| Keywords: | Australia Brazil Laurencia dendroidea Laurencia majuscula rbcL Rhodomelaceae Rhodophyta |
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