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Three species of Sicyonella, S. antennata, S. inermis, and S. maldivensis, were redescribed and illustrated in detail. In addition to characters of the antennular peduncle and petasma, the three species are distinguished by the shape and armature of the proximal part of the mesial antennular flagellum of the male, the color of the antennal flagellum, the number and size of spiniform setae on the distomesial corner of the sympod of the second, third, and fifth pleopods, and the shape of the thelycum. On the basis of these characters, a female of the syntype of S. maldivensis from Mauritius was identified as S. inermis. Therefore, a male of the syntype from the Maldives is designated the lectotype of S. maldivensis.

To allow to discriminate rapidly the strains of Porphyra tenera var. tamatsuensis, cultivars of which grow more vigorously than strains of P. tenera var. tenera, strains of both varieties were examined by polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis using mitochondrial DNA related to the ATP synthase F0 subunit 6 (ATP6) gene. The lengths of all sequences in this region of three strains of each variety were 670 bp and had just a single nucleotide substitution. Digestion with the restriction enzyme of TaaI yielded three visible bands which appeared in the three strains of P. tenera var. tamatsuensis, whereas two bands appeared in the three strains of P. tenera var. tenera. We therefore conclude that PCR-RFLP analysis is a valuable tool for discrimination of P. tenera var. tamatsuensis among the stock of P. tenera strains used for mariculture.

SUMMARY A new species of Neoporphyra, Neoporphyra kitoi sp. nov., collected in Honshu, Japan, is described based on morphology and molecular analysis. The new species can be distinguished from other foliose Bangiales species by both molecular analysis and developmentally with the production of new blades arising from rhizoidal cells and giving rise to multiple blades. Thalli of N. kitoi were observed to produce single and multiple blades in both fields collected and cultured thalli. Neoporphyra kitoi was morphologically similar to Pyropia pseudolinearis apart from this developmental feature. Molecular phylogenies based on both the nrSSU and rbcL genes of this species resolved it in a clade containing sequences assigned to the genus Neoporphyra.

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