Porphyra umbilicalis Kützing 1843

Current name:
Porphyra umbilicalis Kützing
Spanish Point, Co. Clare, Ireland; lower intertidal mussels with Ulva sp. - 04 August 2004. Michael Guiry (mike.guiry@nuigalway.ie)
Publication Details
Porphyra umbilicalis Kützing 1843: 383
Published in: Kützing, F.T. (1843). Phycologia generalis oder Anatomie, Physiologie und Systemkunde der Tange. Mit 80 farbig gedruckten Tafeln, gezeichnet und gravirt vom Verfasser. pp. [part 1]: [i]-xxxii, [1]-142, [part 2:] 143-458, 1, err.], pls 1-80. Leipzig: F.A. Brockhaus.
Publication date: 14-16 Sep 1843
Type Species
The type species (lectotype) of the genus Porphyra is Porphyra purpurea (Roth) C.Agardh.
Status of Name
This name is of an entity that is currently accepted taxonomically.
Type Information
Type locality: Scotland: Easdale, Argyll; (Brodie & al. 2008: 1330) Neotype: J. Brodie & P.K. Hayes; 23 July 1998; From the back of a limpet; BM; 000769632 (Brodie & al. 2008: 1330) Notes: Illustrated in Brodie et al. (2008: fig. 1 B).
General Environment
This is a marine species.
Description
Gametophyte thallus reddish
brown, brownish, grey brown or olive green in the field,
drying to brownish purple, attached by a minute but stout
holdfast; stipe indistinct; blade orbiculate to elongate, auriculate
and/or cucullate; base slightly to extremely cordate,
overlapping to appear umbilicate; margins sometimes
much pleated; blades single or multiple, sometimes
forming a rosette. Thallus monostromatic, 58–70 µm thick
with cells in surface view 8–16 × 6–8 µm and in transverse
section 30–34 × 9–10 µm. Usually dioecious; sori
marginal; male gametangia in packets of 4 × 4 in surface
view and ×8 in transverse section ( = 128 gametes); zygotosporangia
in packets of 2 × 4 in surface view and ×2 in
transverse section ( = 16 zygotospores). Neutral sporangia
are sometimes present.
Habitat
On rocks, mussels, etc., midtidal to splash zone, generally distributed, abundant, especially on exposed coasts.
Key Characteristics
Lettuce-like appearance and habitat.
Similar Species
May be a species complex.
Created: 31 March 1996 by M.D. Guiry.
Last updated: 01 April 2022
Verification of Data
Users are responsible for verifying the accuracy of information before use, as noted on the website Content page.
Nomenclatural note
Brodie et al. (2008: 1328) present convincing evidence that Kützing's (1843: 383) binomial should not be considered a "presumed new combination" for Ulva umbilicalis Linnaeus under Art. 33.3 of the ICBN, and should be regarded as a separate nomenclatural act. J. Agardh's (1883) combination of Ulva umbilicalis into Porphyra is also a separate nomenclatural act, and represents a later and thus illegimate homonym. Brodie et al. (2008: 1328) also designate a neotype from Scotland for Porphyra umbilicalis Kützing and at the same time designate this type as the epitype of Ulva umbilicalis Linnaeus (1753), thus consolidating the taxonomic integrity of all three names. - (10 December 2008) - G.M. Guiry
Distributional note
According to Brodie et al. (2008), the confirmed distribution is currently the North Atlantic, although there is evidence that the name has been misapplied in this region. The global distribution requires review. For example, a study with fresh and old material has revealed that neither Porphyra umbilicalis nor Pyropia leucosticta are present in the Balearic Islands (Vergés et al. 2013) - (10 December 2008) - G.M. Guiry
Linking to this page: https://www.algaebase.org/search/species/detail/?species_id=102
Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
M.D. Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 01 April 2022. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 19 February 2025