DNA Sequencing of Type Material Reveals Pneophyllum marlothii comb. nov. from South Africa and P. discoideum comb. nov. (Chamberlainoideae, Corallinales, Rhodophyta) from Argentina

Abstract

A partial rbcL sequence from the type material of Spongites discoideus from southern Argentina showed that it was distinct from rbcL sequences of South African specimens to which that name had been applied based on morpho-anatomy. A partial rbcL sequence from an original syntype specimen, herein designated the lectotype, of Lithophyllum marlothii, type locality Camps Bay, Western Cape Province, South Africa, was identical to rbcL sequences of South African field-collected specimens assigned to S. discoideus. Based on phylogenetic analyses of rbcL and/or psbA sequences, both of these species belong in Pneophyllum and are transferred there as P. discoideum comb. nov. and P. marlothii comb. nov. The two species exhibit a distinct type of development where thick, secondary, monomerous disks are produced from thin, primary, dimerous crusts. Whether this type of development represents an example of convergent evolution or is characteristic of a clade of species within Pneophyllum remains to be resolved.

DNA sequencing reveals three new species of Chamberlainium (Corallinales, Rhodophyta) from South Africa, all formerly passing under Spongites yendoi

“…The lectotype of S. discoideus was sequenced and shown to be distinct from South African specimens given that name and to belong in Pneophyllum to which it was transferred as Pneophyllum discoideum (Foslie) Puckree-Padua, Maneveldt et P.W. Gabrielson (Puckree-Padua et al 2020a). An existing name was available for the South African S. discoideus specimens, Lithophyllum marlothii (Heydrich) Heydrich, whose type specimen was also sequenced, and it too was transferred to Pneophyllum as Pneophyllum marlothii (Heydrich) Puckree-Padua, P.W.…”

“…An existing name was available for the South African S. discoideus specimens, Lithophyllum marlothii (Heydrich) Heydrich, whose type specimen was also sequenced, and it too was transferred to Pneophyllum as Pneophyllum marlothii (Heydrich) Puckree-Padua, P.W. Gabrielson, Hughey et Maneveldt (Puckree-Padua et al 2020a).…”

Phymatolithopsis gen. nov. (Hapalidiales, Corallinophycidae, Rhodophyta) based on molecular and morpho‐anatomical evidence

“…New taxa have been described at all of these levels, but only the classification at the ordinal level (Corallinapetrales, Hapalidiales, and Sporolithales) has been supported by both phylogenetic analyses of DNA sequences and diagnostic morpho-anatomical characters. A number of new and recircumscribed taxa at the lower ranks of family and subfamily are based only on DNA sequences and there are no diagnostic morpho-anatomical characters clearly identifiable to define these taxa (Puckree-Padua et al 2020a). Some genera that are monophyletic based on phylogenetic analyses of DNA sequences have diagnostic morpho-anatomical characters, such as Clathromorphum (Adey et al 2015) and Porolithon (Kato et al 2011), whereas others do not, for example, Crusticorallina and Neogoniolithon (Hind et al 2015) and Chamberlainium and Pneophyllum (Puckree- Padua et al 2020b).…”