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ABSTRACTTwo of the four currently recognised species of Phymatolithonin South Africa are P. repandum(type locality: Half Moon Bay, Port Philip Bay, Victoria, Australia) and P. ferox(type locality: Natal, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa). Partial rbcL sequences of the lectotype of P. repandumand the holotype of P. feroxdemonstrate that the former is not present in South Africa and does not belong in Phymatolithon, whereas the latter belongs in Phymatolithon, but that the name has been misapplied in South Africa. The correct name for the species, currently called P. repandumin South Africa, is P. ferox. Partial rbcL and psbA sequences of two of the current heterotypic synonyms of P. ferox, Lithothamnion prolixumand Lithothamnion prolixumf. plicatum, show that they are conspecific and do not belong in Phymatolithon. Lithothamnion prolixumis the basionym for the species currently, but incorrectly, called P. feroxin South Africa. Phymatolithon repandumand L. prolixumbelong in an as yet undescribed genus. All heterotypic synonyms of currently recognised names of non-geniculate corallines that were placed in synonymy based on morpho-anatomy should not be accepted until confirmed by DNA sequencing.

Abstract:DNA sequence data from a 296 base pair variable region of the plastid encoded rbcL gene was obtained from 19th century type material of Spongites decipiensand of Lithophyllum tumidum(=Pseudolithophyllum neofarlowii) and matched to field-collected material, confirming the application of these specific epithets in the northeast Pacific. Phylogenetic analyses of separate and concatenated rbcL and psbA gene sequences show that both species belong in Spongites. Based on DNA sequences, the distribution of S. decipiensis confirmed from Haida Gwaii, British Columbia, Canada, south to its type locality at San Pedro, Los Angeles County, California, whereas, Spongites tumidumis distributed from near Sitka, Alaska, to Monterey County, California. Sequence data from S. decipiensand South African specimens called Spongites yendoiconfirm anatomical studies that these two species are distinct but that a previously undescribed, cryptic species, Spongites agulhensis, also is present in South Africa. Anatomically and morphologically S. agulhensisis very similar to both northeast Pacific S. decipiensand South African S. yendoi, differing from the former by a single anatomical character and from the latter by two anatomical characters. Anatomy, ecology and distributions are useful in separating the South African species of Spongites, as well as the northeast Pacific species. Sequence divergence values align with biogeographic patterns and not with anatomical similarities for these Spongitesspecies. We question the practice of placing into synonymy geographically widely separated non-geniculate coralline algal species based solely on anatomical features that likely have resulted from convergent evolution.

ManeveldtG.W. and vanderMerweE. 2012. Heydrichia cerasinasp. nov. (Sporolithales, Corallinophycidae, Rhodophyta) from the southernmost tip of Africa. Phycologia 51: 11–21. DOI: 10.2216/11-05.1A new species of Heydrichia(Sporolithales), Heydrichia cerasinasp. nov., is described, found only on pebbles in the low intertidal zone along a 10 km stretch of the South African south coast from Cape Agulhas to Struisbaai. The species is characterized by the following suite of features that distinguish it from the other two species of Heydrichiafound in South Africa: (1) unusual cherry-red colour when freshly collected; (2) uniformly warty growth form; (3) relatively thin crust (up to 1400 µm thick); (4) tetra/bisporangial sori comprised of mostly single sporangial chambers; and (5) unbranched spermatangial structures distributed on the floor, walls, and roof of the mature male conceptacle. The species appears to be most closely related to Heydrichia homalopastafrom Australia. This study has affirmed that the distribution of spermatangial structures within male chambers is a feature that cannot be used to separate Heydrichiafrom Sporolithon, the only other genus in Sporolithales, although features of thallus construction and tetra/bisporangia continue to distinguish the genera. A key to the southern African species from the order Sporolithales is provided.

KeatsD.W., ManeveldtG.W., BabaM., ChamberlainY.M. andLewisJ.E. 2009. Three species of Mastophora(Rhodophyta: Corallinales, Corallinaceae) in the tropical Indo-Pacific Ocean: M. rosea(C. Agardh) Setchell, M. pacifica(Heydrich) Foslie, and M. multistrata, sp. nov. Phycologia48: 404–422. DOI: 10.2216/08-101.1.Three species of Mastophora(Corallinaceae, Corallinales, Rhodophyta) were found in extensive studies of non-geniculate coralline algae in various areas of the tropical Indo-Pacific, including French Polynesia, Fiji, Ryukyu Islands (Japan), and Taiwan. Two species are delicate and leafy but are distinguishable on morphological grounds. Mastophora roseaplants are taeniform, dichotomously branched, and weakly calcified and have rolled margins. Their thalli show very little secondary growth, with only occasional small round patches at the surface. Tetrasporangial and carposporangial conceptacles are very high (330–640 μm) and dome-shaped to almost spherical. Mastophora roseaplants collected during this study stand out in the water because of their bluish-purple colour. Mastophora pacificahas more strongly calcified thalli that are irregularly branched, with abundant secondary growth and the development of loosely attached, crispy layers. Tetrasporangial and carposporangial conceptacles are conical (280–550 μm high). Thallus colour in M. pacificavaries substantially depending on where it is growing, ranging from violet brown to dark red to greyish ruby, but are mostly pale-pink to reddish-purple in their submerged living state. Mastophora multistratasp. nov. plants are hard and robust. Their thalli are made up of tightly packed layers that are evident only in section. Tetrasporangial conceptacles are generally low (315–490 μm high) and dome-shaped. In their living state, M. multistrataplants are usually deep-purple plum coloured.

Villas-BoasA.B., Riosmena-RodriguezR., Amado-FilhoG.M., ManeveldtG.W. and deO. FigueiredoM.A. 2009. Rhodolith-forming species of Lithophyllum(Corallinales; Rhodophyta) from Espírito Santo State, Brazil, including the description of L. depressumsp. nov. Phycologia48: 237–248. DOI: 10.2216/08-35.1.The taxonomy of the rhodolith-forming species of Lithophyllum(Corallinales, Rhodophyta) found from Espirito Santo State, Brazil, were evaluated based on extensive subtidal sampling. A comparative analysis of the Brazilian material with recently described species lead us to conclude that three known species (Lithophyllum corallinae, L. johansenii, L. stictaeforme) and one species new to science (Lithophyllum depressumVillas-Boas, Figueiredo & Riosmena-Rodriguez) are present in the area. All four species can be distinguished primarily by their tetrasporangial conceptacle roof anatomy. This study has shown that Brazilian rhodolith beds are comparatively more diverse in number of Lithophyllumspecies than other areas of the world.