Palisada flagellifera (Ceramiales, Rhodophyta) from the Canary Islands, Spain: a new record for the eastern Atlantic Ocean based on morphological and molecular evidence

Palisada flagellifera (Ceramiales, Rhodophyta) is recorded for the first time in the eastern Atlantic Ocean off Tenerife, La Gomera, La Palma and Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, Spain. The specimens were collected in 2006-2009 growing from the lower intertidal to subtidal zones to 2 m depth at sites exposed to wave action. The species possesses a palisade-like arrangement of cortical cells in cross section, lacks secondary pit connections between them, and has tetrasporangia produced by three fertile pericentral cells (the third and the fourth additional and the second that becomes fertile), and a right-angled arrangement of tetrasporangia. Gametangia were not observed. The phylogenetic relationships were inferred by analyses of the chloroplast-encoded rbcL gene sequences from 46 taxa. The Canarian and Brazilian P. flagellifera specimens formed a highly supported clade with a low level of genetic variation in the rbcL sequences (0.02-0.04%), confirming that they are the same taxonomic entity. This study expands the geographical distribution of P. flagellifera to the eastern Atlantic Ocean.

Ministry of Education and Sciences of the Spanish Government[CGL 2007-60635/BOS]

Ministry of Education and Sciences of the Spanish Government

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq)[308426/2006-1]

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq)[478941/2006-4]

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq)[470417/2006-4]

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq)[301217/2007-6]

Coordenacao de Aperfeic, oamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Brazil and Secretaria de Educacion Publica, Mexico-PROMEP[P/CA-117 2006-35-52]

Brazil and Secretaria de Educacion Publica, Mexico-PROMEP