A revised list of seaweeds from the Red Sea (1756–2020)

Abstract

A taxonomic list of macro marine algae (seaweeds) described in the literature for the Red Sea during the years 1756–2020 is presented. The list was prepared using existing published studies, local monitoring reports, as well as “grey” or unpublished lists of seaweeds for the area. Altogether, we examined more than 300 publications and compiled more than 900 taxonomic names, of which 576 correspond to valid species, whilst 355 names were considered synonyms for these species. The phylum Chlorophyta (green seaweeds) was represented by 37 currently accepted genera and 133 species (including 74 species synonyms). The phylum Ochrophyta (Phaeophyceae only; brown seaweeds) was represented by 52 genera, 157 species and 99 synonyms; and the phylum Rhodophyta (red seaweeds) by 130 genera, 286 species and 182 synonyms. The brown seaweed Sargassum appears to be a particularly biodiverse genus in the area represented by 58 species and 26 synonyms. Our study shows the inconsistency and lack of long-term taxonomic studies and recent molecular investigations of seaweeds from nearly the whole Red Sea.

Ancient Tethyan Vicariance and Long-Distance Dispersal Drive Global Diversification and Cryptic Speciation in the Red Seaweed Pterocladiella

“…Some regions remain under-sampled in this study, including South Pacific islands and the Red Sea, where Pterocladiella has been reported (e.g., N’Yeurt and Payri, 2010 ; Einav et al, 2021 ). A denser sampling effort may uncover more undescribed species in these regions.…”

Organellar genomic characterization of Anunuuluaehu liula representing a new genus and species of Phyllophoraceae (Gigartinales, Rhodophyta) from the mesophotic zone of Hawai‘i

“…Despite the discovery of several new species that are unique to Hawai‘i, no new higher‐level taxa (such as genera or families) of endemic Hawaiian marine macroalgae have been identified other than Hawaiia . While Dotyella, Gibsmithia, Ditria , Peleophycus , Reticulocaulis , and Newhousia were previously thought to be endemic genera to Hawai‘i (Hollenberg, 1967; Kraft et al., 2004; Stone, 1967; Womersley & Shepley, 1959), these genera were later documented in Central Polynesia (Tsuda & Walsh, 2013), French Polynesia (De Ramon N'Yeurt & Payri, 2010), or elsewhere (Einav et al., 2021; Gabriel et al., 2016; Kraft, 1986). All collection localities of Anunuuluaehu are deeper than 54–201 m in the Hawaiian Islands, but whether these records provide a reliable indication of the true depth range of the genus remains unclear.…”

Ecology and Phenology of the Subtidal Brown Alga Sargassum furcatum (Ochrophyta, Fucales), a Likely Non-Indigenous Species from the Mediterranean Sea

“…As for many other species of Sargassum recorded from the Mediterranean Sea [13], as well as for S. furcatum, molecular studies are necessary to confirm the correct identification of Mediterranean specimens. Indeed, there are other little-studied taxa that show similar morphological features, such as Sargassum diversifolium (Turner) C. Agardh, currently known only from the Red Sea [42]; it was described for Egypt by Turner as Fucus diversifolius Turner ( [43], p. 103), without specifying whether it was present on the Mediterranean coast. Moreover, it should be noted that Blanfuné et al [17] and Boudouresque et al [44] erroneously reported for the Mediterranean also Sargassum vulgare f. diversifolium Grunow, a taxon described for the Canary Islands, the Azores Islands, and the Island of Madeira [45], based on not-documented records.…”