Ulva rigida C.Agardh 1823

Current name:
Ulva rigida C.Agardh
New Quay, Co. Clare, Ireland; extensive growths at MLWN - 29 March 2002. Michael Guiry (mike.guiry@nuigalway.ie)
Publication Details
Ulva rigida C.Agardh 1823: 410
Published in: Agardh, C.A. (1823). Species algarum rite cognitae, cum synonymis, differentiis specificis et descriptionibus succinctis. Volumen primum pars posterior. pp. [vii-viii], [399]-531. Lundae [Lund]: ex officina Berlingiana.
Publication date: early 1823
Type Species
The type species (holotype) of the genus Ulva is Ulva lactuca Linnaeus.
Status of Name
This name is of an entity that is currently accepted taxonomically.
Type Information
Type locality: Cádiz, Spain; (Silva & al. 1996: 750) Type: LD; herb. alg. Agardh, 14294 (Papenfuss 1960: 305) Notes: The syntype localities given in the original protologue were the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean and Black Seas, and the Cape of Good Hope. Papenfuss (1960: 305) lectotypified with a Cabrera specimen that has no locality information, but Papenfuss noted that Cabrera's material invariably came from Cádiz, Spain. Ricker (1987: 41), apparently in ignorance of Papenfuss's lectotypification, noted that a lectotype had been selected by R.B. Searles on 10 October 1975; it was a specimen from the Cape of Good Hope, but this lectotypification was not published. Womersley (1984: 144) gives the herbarium no. 14294, which is the Cabrera specimen from Cádiz, Spain.
Origin of Species Name
Adjective (Latin), rigid (Stearn 1983).
General Environment
This is a marine species.
Created: 31 March 1996 by M.D. Guiry.
Last updated: 27 January 2025
Verification of Data
Users are responsible for verifying the accuracy of information before use, as noted on the website Content page.
Taxonomic note
John et al. (2004) cite Ulva uncialis (Kütz.) Mont. as a synonym of this species. - (11 May 2006) - G.M. Guiry
Distributional notes
Results of studies carried out by O'Kelly et al. (2010) suggest that Ulva populations in tropical and subtropical regions consist of species that are largely unique to these areas, for which the application of names based on types from temperate and boreal European and North American waters is inappropriate. - (01 September 2010) - G.M. Guiry
"Based on ... genetic evidence , Ulva rigida is restricted to European waters and confirmed by DNA sequences from Ireland, Portugal and Spain." (Hughey et al., 2021). - (08 June 2022) - G.M. Guiry
For problems concerning the correct taxonomic identity of Mediterranean plants reported as Ulva rigida, see Gallardo et al. (1993) and Phillips (1998). - (11 May 2006) - G.M. Guiry
According to Maggs & al., 2004, reported from Ireland as U. roduntada/U. pseudorotundata (Loughnane & al., 2008) and as U. gigantea (Brodie & al., 2007). - (28 January 2025) - G.M. Guiry
Habitat note
Unlike U. laetevirens, this species occurs preferentially in eutrophic environments, especially lagoon areas rich in phosphate, ammonium and phytoplankton (Sfriso, 2009). - (04 May 2010) - G.M. Guiry
Linking to this page: https://www.algaebase.org/search/species/detail/?species_id=40
Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
G.M. Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 27 January 2025. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 17 February 2025