Taxonomy of the Gracilariaceae (Rhodophyta) from Western Macajalar Bay, Philippines.

Species of the marine red algal family Gracilariaceae are distributed in tropical and warm temperate waters of the world where they are harvested for their agar content. In the Philippines, the level of exploitation of these species is low despite their high diversity and potentially large harvestable biomass. A taxonomic survey of the Gracilariaceae was conducted along the western corridor of Macajalar Bay in northern Mindanao for the first time. Six common species were found in three sampling sites. The findings of this study will contribute to the baseline marine biodiversity information, can promote the use of the various species among coastal inhabitants, and provide guidance towards better policy formulation for more effective resource management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]