Molecular analyses reveal a new species of Palmariaceae from Subantarctic Chile: Devaleraea yagan sp. nov. (Palmariales, Rhodophyta)

ABSTRACT

The red algal family Palmariaceae is distributed in the northern and southern hemispheres and currently includes four genera and 25 species. Recent studies based on transcriptome and organellar genome data strongly support a monophyletic family; however, this condition was not confirmed among its constituent genera. Additionally, no reliable morphological diagnostic features have been identified for delimiting Devaleraea and Palmaria. During expeditions to Subantarctic Chile along isolated channels and fjords to explore macroalgae diversity, we collected samples of specimens from the intertidal and assessed them using morphology and molecular markers (cox1, rbcL, nuclear-encoded ITS rDNA). Here we describe the new species Devaleraea yagan based on multilocus phylogeny and confirm the low genetic divergences in palmariaceaean species using principal coordinate analysis (PCoA). This new species is diagnosed by having its diminutive thalli attached to the substratum by a reduced holdfast and by the presence of rhizoidal cells in the medulla. Further analyses including genomic data of members of Devaleraea, Halosaccion and Neohalosacciocolax lineages are expected to support the taxonomic restructuring of the family.

KEYWORDS:

• Beagle Channel
• cox1
• ITS rDNA
• Magallanes
• Molecular phylogeny
• PCoA
• rbcL

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We are most grateful to Sandra Lindstrom, Jeffery Hughey and Michael Wynne for their valuable comments and suggestions to improve this manuscript.

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

DEB was supported by Peruvian Fondecyt and Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodriguez de Mendoza. MSC was supported by Chilean Fondecyt [3180539] and Conicyt PIA Apoyo [CCTE AFB170008 through IEB]. AM was supported by Chilean Fondecyt 1180433 and Grant ANID ACE210006. This study was also supported by the project for Technological Centers of Excellence with Basal Financing ANID-Chile to the Cape Horn International Center [CHIC- ANID PIA/BASAL PFB210018].