Morphological and molecular evidence support the recognition of Champia lubrica sp. nov. (Champiaceae, Rhodophyta) from Japan

Abstract

Suzuki M., Hashimoto T., Kitayama T. and Nozaki H. 0000. Morphological and molecular evidence support the recognition of Champia lubrica sp. nov. (Champiaceae, Rhodophyta) from Japan. Phycologia 52: 609–617. DOI: 10.2216/13-128.1

Morphological studies and molecular analyses based on ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase large subunit (rbcL) gene sequences were the bases of our proposal to recognize Champia lubrica sp. nov. from Japan. The new species was similar to C. puertoricensis, and it was provisionally identified C. parvula in Puerto Rico (both previously assigned to C. parvula) in having cylindrical and erect thalli, conspicuous main axes, opposite branching and urceolate cystocarps; however, it differed from those two entities in its occasional verticils of three lateral branches and absence of conspicuous constrictions at diaphragms of main axes and primary laterals. Molecular–phylogenetic analyses suggested that the new species was distinct from Japanese ‘C. parvula’ as well as from Puerto Rican ‘C. parvula’ and C. puertoricensis.

Key Words::

• Champia lubrica sp. nov.
• Champia parvula
• Champiaceae
• Japan
• Molecular phylogenetics
• Morphology
• Rhodophyta
• Rhodymeniales
• Taxonomy

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We are grateful to the late Dr Makoto Yoshizaki (Toho University) for his many suggestions regarding the description of Champia lubrica. We wish to express our gratitude to Mr Haruki Funada (Whale and Sea Research Centre), Mr Shingo Kobayashi (Ehime Prefectural Museum), the late Mr Masakazu Hirai (Institute of Hirai Plant and Education), the late Mr Masaji Yada (Ryotsu Historical Museum) and Mr Hideki Haga (Marine Biosystems Research Centre Choshi Experiment Place) for their help sampling. We also thank Dr Gerald T. Kraft (The University of Melbourne), Dr Michael J. Wynne (University of Michigan) and an anonymous reviewer for their helpful and valuable suggestions. This work was supported by the MEXT/JSPS Kakenhi (grant number 24112707 to H.N.).

SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

Supplementary data associated with this article can be found online at http://dx.doi.org/10.2216/13-128.1.s1.