Characterization ofMartensia(Delesseriaceae; Rhodophyta) from shallow and mesophotic habitats in the Hawaiian Islands: description of four new species

Abstract

Fifty-six specimens of the red algal genus Martensia from the Main and Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, representing both shallow (36 specimens from 0-20 m depth) and mesophotic habitats (20 specimens from 62-93 m depth), were collected and characterized using morphological and molecular analyses. Phylogenetic analyses of the rbcL gene resolved five distinct clades of Martensia from the Hawaiian Islands, of which none could be attributed to the two previously used taxonomic names for this flora (M. fragilis Harvey and M. flabelliformis Harvey ex J.Agardh). Analyses of the COI barcoding region were consistent with rbcL trends, although fewer specimens amplified and sequenced for this marker. Four rbcL clades (lineages 1-4) were distinct from each other and from other described species of Martensia based on both phylogenetic position and morphological characters, and are here described as new species: Martensia abbottiae A

Biodiversity of Hawaiian Peyssonneliales (Rhodophyta): <italic>Sonderophycus copusii</italic> sp. nov., a new species from the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands

“…For example, one of four new sea lettuces was closely allied with an undescribed taxon from the Kermadec Islands and western Australia, two were closely associated with specimens from Mage Island, Japan, and the fourth species was not closely associated with any other known sea lettuce species (Spalding et al 2016). A recent analysis of the red algal genus Martensia from Hawai'i revealed the presence of five species, all with mesophotic representation, four of which were newly described in the study and presumed endemic to the Hawaiian Islands, and one that was demonstrated to be a new record for the islands (M. albida Y. Lee) and previously known only from Korea (Sherwood et al 2019). Two new species described in the peyssonnelioid genus Ramicrusta from Lehua Island, Hawai'i (one from mesophotic depths) were distinct from all other described species thus far but were allied with taxa known from the western Pacific / Australasia and the Caribbean (Sherwood et al in press).…”

Brilliantia kiribatiensis, a new genus and species of Cladophorales (Chlorophyta) from the remote coral reefs of the Southern Line Islands, Pacific Ocean

“…2020, Sherwood et al. 2020, 2021), including the red alga Dissimularia withallii from Jarvis Island, Northern Line Islands (Kraft and Saunders 2014). The new genus and species Brilliantia kiribatiensis adds to our knowledge of endemic species in the region.…”

Taxonomic Revision of Hook-Forming Acrosorium (Delesseriaceae, Rhodophyta) from the Northwestern Pacific Based on Morphology and Molecular Data

“…Morphological plasticity, intraspecific variation in form due to environmental differences, makes identifying specimens difficult [33][34][35][36][37]. Similarly, different species with convergent morphologies are difficult to distinguish [38][39][40]. These dilemmas are not confined to any particular taxon or region, but to various macroalgae worldwide.…”