Chondrophycus planiparvus Popolizio, C.W.Schneider & C.E.Lane, 2022

Popolizio, Thea R., Schneider, Craig W., Jongbloed, Walter M., Saunders, Gary W. & Lane, Christopher E., 2022, Molecular analysis resolves the taxonomy of the Laurencia complex (Rhodomelaceae, Ceramiales) in Bermuda and uncovers novel species of Chondrophycus and Laurenciella, Cryptogamie, Algologie 20 (1), pp. 1-30 : 8

Chondrophycus planiparvus Popolizio, C.W.Schneider & C.E.Lane , sp. nov.

( Fig. 5)

HOLOTYPE. — T.R. Popolizio / C.W. Schneider 12-40-13 (BDA0934), 13.III.2012, Gurnet Rock , mouth of Castle Harbour, Bermuda, western Atlantic Ocean, 32°20’22.7”N, 64°39’44.8”W, depth 13 m [deposited in UNB]; iso-, MICH [TRP 12-40-12 (BDA0933)].

HOLOTYPE DNA BARCODE. — GenBank OK209884, COI-5P; OK209859, rbc L.

PARATYPES. — Bermuda. CWS/CEL 09-30-9, 19.III.2009, Gurnet Rock, loc. cit., 32°20’20.2”N, 64°39’32.1”W, depth 16-17 m ; TRP/ CWS 12-148-6 [BDA1625], 5.XI.2012, wreck of the Pelinaion, north shore Bermuda I., 32°21’20.9”N, 64°38’36.9”W, depth 18 m; TRP/CWS 12-160-8 [BDA1741], 1.XII.2012, wreck of the Hermes , south shore Bermuda I., 32°14’42.4”N, 64°48’00.1”W, depth 23 m.

ETYMOLOGY. — From the Latin, describing the typical habit of this flattened (‘ planus ’) and relatively small (‘ parvus ’) species.

DISTRIBUTION. — Endemic to Bermuda as presently known.

SEASONALITY. — Collected from November to March in Bermuda.

DESCRIPTION

Plants to 2 cm high, distinctly compressed, rosy-red, cartilaginous ( Fig. 5 A-D); main axes to 2 mm diam. with one or more arising from discoidal holdfasts; branching irregular to opposite or alternate, with branch apices sometimes appearing trifurcated ( Fig. 5B, D); branchlets to 2 mm in diam. Vegetative axes with 2 pericentral cells; cortical cells arranged longitudinally in surface view ( Fig. 5E, H), secondary pit connections abundant ( Fig. 5G, H). In transverse section, non-palisade outer cortical cells, obtriangulate to obovate, with constrictions at the base ( Fig. 5G), 12-35 µm diam. and 9-27 µm long, some acute projections present at branch apices in surface view; outer cortical cells ovoid in upper branch regions, irregularly angular and elongated below, 9-55 µm diam. and 20-100 µm long ( Fig. 5H); lenticular thickenings absent in the walls of medullary cells. Extensive trichoblasts emerging from shallow apical pits ( Fig. 5F), dichotomously branched, to 600 µm long. Tetrasporangia forming at apices, slightly ovoid, arranged at right angles to the axis ( Saito 1967: 71), 43-68 µm diam. and 48-96 µm long ( Fig. 5I). Gametangia not found.