Journal article
Rhodenigma contortum, an obscure new genus and species of Rhodogorgonales (Rhodophyta) from Western Australia
JA West, GC Zuccarello, SL de Goër, LA Stavrias, H Verbruggen
Journal of Phycology | WILEY-BLACKWELL | Published : 2016
DOI: 10.1111/jpy.12402
Abstract
An unknown microscopic, branched filamentous red alga was isolated into culture from coral fragments collected in Coral Bay, Western Australia. It grew well unattached or attached to glass with no reproduction other than fragmentation of filaments. Cells of some branch tips became slightly contorted and digitated, possibly as a substrate-contact-response seen at filament tips of various algae. Attached multicellular compact disks on glass had a very different cellular configuration and size than the free filaments. In culture the filaments did not grow on or in coral fragments. Molecular phylogenies based on four markers (rbcL, cox1, 18S, 28S) clearly showed it belongs to the order Rhodogorg..
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Awarded by Australian Research Council
Funding Acknowledgements
HV was funded by the Australian Research Council (FT110100585) and the Australian Biological Resources Study (RFL213-08). JW used personal funds for culturing and microscopy and thanks the Geoff McFadden Laboratory, School of Biosciences 2, University of Melbourne for long term use of facilities and supplies to continue this and other research projects. Michael Wynne and Craig Schneider provided valuable advice on the proper Latin/Greek usage and definitions for the genus and species names.