First record of Nocturama (Batrachospermales, Rhodophyta) in South America, with the description of a new species N. novamundensis

Abstract

Specimens from southeastern and southern Brazil previously identified as Sheathia arcuata (= Batrachospermum arcuatum) are shown to be members of the recently described genus Nocturama, previously known only from Australia and New Zealand. Morphological and molecular evidence support recognizing the Brazilian specimens as a new species, described here as Nocturama novamundensis, sp. nov. Comparison of DNA sequences of the plastid-encoded ribulose-1,5-bisphosphatecarboxylase-oxygenase large subunit (rbcL) and the nuclear small subunit ribosomal DNA (SSU rDNA) markers showed Nocturama as a well supported clade. The sequence divergences between the new and the type species were high (95-98bp, 7.4-7.6%) for rbcL and 19bp, 1.1% for SSU), and those within each species were extremely low (0-1 bp, 0-0.1%). The new species can be distinguished from N. antipodites in having curved primary fascicles composed of non-'audouinelloid' cells (compared to straight primary fascicles with audouinelloid-cylindrical-cells) and in being always dioecious (only rarely is N. antipodites dioecious).

The freshwater red algae (Batrachospermales, Rhodophyta) of Africa and Madagascar I. New species of Kumanoa, Sirodotia and the new genus Ahidranoa (Batrachospermaceae)

“…Subsequently, Salomaki et al (2014) placed members of section Helminthoidea in the new genus Sheathia. More recently the new genus Nocturama (Entwisle et al 2016) was erected, now comprising two species from Australia and South America (Necchi et al 2016). In the first paper the genus Nothocla dus, formerly containing three species from Madagascar and Australia (which now constitute section Nothocla dus) was enlarged to comprise most of the old informal 'Australasica-group' with the new sections Australasicus, Theaquus and Kraftii, and also section Setaceus.…”

“…The other taxa included in this cluster are now placed in the expanded genus Nothocladus (Entwisle et al 2016). Necchi et al (2016) described a second species of Nocturama, N. novamun densis (Necchi et al 2016) from Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul. Molecular evidence, however, supports the recognition of a new genus.…”