Bibliographic Detail
Verbruggen, H., Vlaeminck, C., Sauvage, T., Sherwood, A.R., Leliaert, F. & de Clerck, O., 2009
Reference:
Verbruggen, H., Vlaeminck, C., Sauvage, T., Sherwood, A.R., Leliaert, F. & de Clerck, O. (2009). Phylogenetic analysis of Pseudochlorodesmis strains reveals cryptic diversity above the family level in the siphonous green algae (Bryopsidales, Chlorophyta). Journal of Phycology 45(3): 726-731, 1 fig.
Publication Date:
June 2009
Abstract:
The genus Pseudochlorodesmis (Bryopsidales) is
composed of diminutive siphons of extreme morphological
simplicity. The discovery of Pseudochlorodesmis-
like juveniles in more complex Bryopsidales
(e.g., the Halimeda microthallus stage) jeopardized
the recognition of this genus. Confronted with this
uncertainty, taxonomists transferred many simple
siphons into a new genus, Siphonogramen. In this
study, we used a multimarker approach to clarify
the phylogenetic and taxonomic affinities of
the Pseudochlorodesmis-Siphonogramen (PS) complex
within the more morphologically complex bryopsidalean
taxa. Our analyses reveal a new layer of diversity
largely distinct from the lineages containing the
structurally complex genera. The PS complex shows
profound cryptic diversity exceeding the family
level. We discuss a potential link between thallus
complexity and the prevalence and profundity of
cryptic diversity. For taxonomic simplicity and as a
first step toward clarifying the taxonomy of these
simple siphons, we propose to maintain Pseudochlorodesmis
as a form genus and subsume Siphonogramen
and Botryodesmis therein.
