Research Article
Ulva multiramosa sp. nov.: A New Interpretation of Enteromorpha multiramosa Bliding Ined. (Chlorophyta)
Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Celal Bayar University, Muradiye-Manisa 45140, Turkey
Enteromorpha multiramosa was proposed by Bliding (1960) but his failure to cite a holotype rendered that name invalid. Bliding based his species account on two syntype collections, namely, from Split (Croatia) in September 1957 and Naples (Italy) in March 1958. The thalli were stated to be a few cm high (2 cm), very ramified, with mostly opposite, often verticillated branches. Enteromorpha multiramosa has been recorded from the Adriatic, Spain, Morocco, the Balearic Islands, Corsica, France, Italy, Greece (Gallardo et al., 1993), the Canary Islands (Haroun et al., 2002; John et al., 2004), the Salvage Islands (John et al., 2004), South Africa (Silva et al., 1996), Papua New Guinea (Coppejans et al., 2001) and Fiji (Nyeurt et al., 1996; South and Skelton, 2003), Brazil (Villaca et al., 2010). Earlier report of E. ramulosa from Lord Howe Island was later described by Kraft (2000), as the new species Ulva polyclada and distinguished from the Bliding taxon (Kraft, 2007).
Hayden et al. (2003) reported that Enteromorpha multiramosa was not validly published because Bliding did not indicate a type as required by the Code ICBN (2006) (Art. 37.1). Bliding (1963) subsequently indicated that the holotype of E. ramuosa was in Bot. Mus. Univ. Lund but this also is not an indication of the type.
In this study, Ulva multiramosa sp. nov. (Ulvaceae, Chlorophyta) is described on the basis of collections from Ayvalik, Turkey (Aegean Sea).
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Collections of the proposed new species of Ulva were made in the midlittoral zone at Ayvalik, Turkey (Aegean sea) by snorkeling, in March, 2011. The specimens were preserved in 4% formalin in seawater. Voucher specimens are deposited in the botanic garden and Herbarium center, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey (EGE, holotype) and the personal Herbarium of the author. Specimens were studied using light microscopy (Nikon SE) and photographs were taken with an Olympus PM-C35 mounted on an Olympus BX 50 microscope. Magellan SporTrak Color GPS device was used to measure the co-ordinates of the collection site.
Ulva multiramosa E. Taskin, sp. nov. (Fig. 1a-c)
Diagnosis: Plantae ad 2 cm longa, cum habitu epilithico; laete viridis; ramificatio opposito, in cellulis quadratus, rectangula, leviter polygoniae in parte media, 30-45 μm longa, 20-26 μm lata, in longitudinem thallus basi, et maxime pueris in ramis quadratus; pyrenoidibus 2-6 in quaque cellula.
Holotype: One kilometer west Ayvalik city centre (39°18'43"N; 26°41'03"E), Turkey (Aegean sea), 20 March, 2011, collected by E. Taskin, 1 m depth. It was deposited in EGE 41066 (Herbarium, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey). A microscope slide of the type specimen is treated as an isotype and also deposited in EGE 41067 Seawater temperature: 15°C, salinity: 37%. Other species that were present at the collection site: Cladophora spp., Dictyota dichotoma (Hudson) J.V. Lamouroux, Kuckuckia spinosa (Kutzing) Kornmann, Ectocarpus siliculosus (Dillwyn) Lyngbye, Asperococcus fistulosus (Hudson) W. J. Hooker, Corallina elongata J. Ellis et Solander, Laurencia obtusa (Hudson) J.V. Lamouroux, Padina pavonica (L.) Thivy, Stictyosiphon adriaticus Kutzing, Striaria attenuata (Greville) Greville, Scytosiphon lomentaria (Lyngbye) Link, Stypocaulon scoparium (L.) Kutzing, Ulva spp., Zostera sp.
Plants are 2 cm long (Fig. 1), axes 150-300 inches diameter, with an epilithic habitat; light green in color; mostly oppositely branched (Fig. 1); the cells quadrangular, rectangular and slightly polygonal in the middle part, 30-45 inches long and 20-26 inches broad, longitudinal at base of thallus and mostly quadrangular in the young branches; pyrenoids 3.5-4 inches diameter, 2-6 per cell (Fig. 1c).
Etymology: From the Greek multi-(many) and ramosa (branching).
Fig. 1(a-c): | Ulva multiramosa sp. nov. (a) General view of plant, (b) branching and young branches (arrows) and (c) the cells in surface view and pyrenoids (arrows) |
Type species of genus: Ulva lactuca Linnaeus (1753).
At present, Ulva contains 101 taxa (species and infraspecific). The check-list by Gallardo et al. (1993) reported 39 taxa of Ulva sensu lato at the specific and infraspecific level in the Mediterranean sea. The first paper in which marine algae from Turkey were reported is that by Forsskal (1775) who recorded Ulva intestinalis L. from the islands of Gokceada and Bozcaada (Aegean sea, Turkey).
In light of the proposal by Hayden et al. (2003) to merge Enteromorpha with Ulva, a revised list of the taxa of the Ulvaceae occurring in Turkey was reported by Taskin (2007) who reported a total of 25 taxa from Turkey.
In this study, green alga Ulva multiramosa sp. nov. (Ulvaceae, Chlorophyta) is described on the basis of collections from Turkey.
I am grateful to Prof. Michael J. Wynne (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA) for critically reviewing the manuscript and for nomenclatural information.