THE GREEN ALGAL GENUSCLONIOPHORAREPRESENTS A NOVEL LINEAGE IN THE ULVALES: A PROPOSAL FOR CLONIOPHORACEAE FAM. NOV.¹

Abstract

The green algal genus Cloniophora has been classified in the Chaetophorales (Chlorophyceae) based on morphological characters. This study uses DNA sequence data from the nucleus (SSU) and the chloroplast (tufA) from collections in the Hawaiian Islands and a culture originating from Portugal to test this classification. Taxonomic identities of contemporary collections were confirmed by sequencing small fragments of DNA (rbcL and SSU) from type specimens, including the generitype, Cloniophora willei L. H. Tiffany. These molecular data show that Cloniophora does not have close affinities to the Chaetophorales and belongs instead to the Ulvales (Ulvophyceae). The morphological features of eight or more reproductive products per cell and a pyrenoid with a traversing thylakoid membrane support the molecular data and confirm the placement of this group in the Ulvales. As this genus does not belong to any recognized family in the Ulvales, the family Cloniophoraceae, containing the single genus Cloniophora, is proposed.

Ulvella tongshanensis (Ulvellaceae, Chlorophyta), a new freshwater species from China, and an emended morphological circumscription of the genus Ulvella

“…In the present and previous studies, the two species were placed in Ulvellaceae clade (Fig. 21, boxed with dotted line) (CarLiLe et al 2011;Mareš et al 2014) based on 18S rDNA data. The phylogenetic position of the generitype of Pseudulvella, Pseudulvella americana, however is clearly a member of the Chaetopeltidales (saNCheZpuerta et al 2006) (Fig.…”

Phylogenetic Position and Morphological Observation of the Ctenocladus circinnatus Borzi, a rare green alga from Changtang Plateau, China

“…The transition/ transversion ratio was 0.85. Phylogenetic trees using Bayesian and ML showed similar topology to previous studies (Carlile et al 2011(Carlile et al , Škaloud et al 2013, and resolved both orders as reciprocally monophyletic, with moderate-strong support. Phylogenetic analyses of these sequences resolved six currently recognized families in the Ulvales, plus six lineages within the Ulotrichales.…”

Morphology and Phylogenetic Position of the Freshwater Green Microalgae Chlorochytrium (Chlorophyceae) and Scotinosphaera (Scotinosphaerales, ord. nov., Ulvophyceae)

“…Green algae are no exception. Despite their long taxonomic history, new lineages are frequently being identified and described as higher taxa , Zhang et al 2008, Leliaert et al 2009, Neustupa et al 2009, Eli a s et al 2010, Aboal and Werner 2011, Carlile et al 2011, N emcov a et al 2011, Somogyi et al 2011. Many of these new higher taxa are in fact based on molecular analysis of described species.…”