Aglaothamnion inkyui E.Shim & G.H.Kim, 2024

Shim, Eunyoung, Kim, Soo Yeon, Kim, Yong Tae, Zuccarello, Giuseppe C. & Kim, Gwang Hoon, 2024, A new species of Aglaothamnion (Ceramiales, Rhodophyta) from Korea, Aglaothamnion inkyui sp. nov., Phytotaxa 671 (1), pp. 1-11 : 7

Aglaothamnion inkyui E.Shim & G.H.Kim sp. nov. ( Fig. 2 )

Description:—The thallus is uniseriate, thin, up to 4 cm high, attached at the base by multicellular rhizoids. No reproductive structures were seen. Branching is dichotomously alternate, sometimes branches appear at irregular intervals at the bottom of the axial cells ( Fig. 2A ). Freshly collected thalli are reddish in color with a light brown hue ( Fig. 2C ). Near the base of the thallus, the initial regular dichotomous pattern is sometimes less easy to observe. Branching results in a marked zig-zag arrangement of the axial cells in the apical parts of the thallus. Mature axial cells, ca. 10 cells below the apex, are longer than wide (30-60 mm by 300-500 mm; L/W: 2–8:1). Lateral branching is of 2-3 orders; the apical cell is blunt ( Fig. 2B ). All cells are uninucleate ( Fig. 2D ). Th average nuclear size is 10x15 µm in the main axial cells, while the newly growing cells at the tip had smaller nuclei, averaging 4x6 µm.

Distribution in Korea:—Sungeut beach, Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do, Korea (37°49′2.6″N, 128°53′40.5″E)

Habitat:—Mostly found in intertidal rocky substrate. Filamentous thallus attaches to hard substrates, i.e. rocks.

Remarks:—This is a new species record of South Korea (rbc L GenBank Accession number: PQ110135). Aglaothamnion inkyui was only collected once.

Holotype:— Type specimens are deposited in National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea ( MABIK: AL00100606 ).

Isotypes:— Isotypes are deposited in National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea (MABIK: AL00100611, AL00100612).

Etymology:—Named in honor of Professor In kyu Lee for his many years of phycological research in South Korea.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Morphology of Aglaothamnion inkyui sp. nov. in laboratory culture.A. The upper axis with branches arising in zig-zag form. B. The apical cells of the main axis are blunt. C. Pressed holotype specimen. D. One nucleus in each vegetative cell under fluorescence. Scale bars:A=50 μm; B= 1 cm; C-D= 50 μm.