Sporolithon franciscanum sp. nov. (Sporolithales, Rhodophyta), a New Rhodolith-Forming Species from Northeast Brazil

Abstract

This paper describes Sporolithon franciscanum, a new rhodolith-forming species of non-geniculate coralline algae found at depths between 47–52 m near the São Francisco river mouth, the second largest and the most extensive drainage basin in Brazil, and also at the Abrolhos Bank, in the world´s largest rhodolith beds. DNA sequences from plastidial psbA and rbcL markers indicate that the species is unique compared to all other Sporolithon species that have thus far been sequenced. Since morpho-anatomical features of the new species are shared with some other Sporolithon species, its identification was only confirmed by DNA sequences.