Abstract Detail

Systematics Section/ASPT

Johnston, Emily [1], Buhari, Nurliah [2], Djawad, Iqbal [2], Vis, Morgan [3].

The Thoreales: systematics and biogeography of a freshwater red algal order.

The Thoreales are freshwater macroalgae with a worldwide distribution and contain two genera, Nemalionopsis Skuja with two species,and Thorea Bory de Saint-Vincent with four to 11 species recognized by various authors. The controversy surrounding the number of Thoreales species stems from a lack of discrete morphological characters to define taxa and little molecular data generated to date. The primary goal of this research is to provide a well-supported molecular phylogeny to determine the number of species within the order and assess any major biogeographical trends. Specimens were collected from locations in Africa, Europe, temperate and sub-tropical North America, the Caribbean,South America, East and Southeast Asia and south Pacific islands. Molecular data were generated for the rbcL (chloroplast) gene, the LSU (nuclear) marker, and the COI-barcoding region (mitochondrial). Bayesian Inference and Maximum Likelihood analyses were conducted using MrBayes, BEAST and RAxML. Results indicated two major lineages within Thorea, one within the tropics and one from the temperate regions of both hemispheres. Specimens morphologically identified as currently described species were found to be paraphyletic. Within the genus Thorea, synonymized species are resurrected and new species are proposed. Nemalionopsis is confirmed to contain two species, centered in Eastern Asia and Eastern North America.

Broader Impacts:

1 - 5 S Shannon Ave., Athens, OH, 45701, USA
2 - Hasanuddin University, Marine Division, Gedung PKP lt. V. Jln Perintis Kemerdekaan, 10 Kampus Unhas Tamlanrea, Makassar , South Sulawesi, 90245, Indonesia
3 - Ohio University, Department Of Enviromnental & Plant Biology, Porter Hall, Athens, OH, 45701, USA

Keywords:
Algae
Thorea
biogeography
Systematics.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Sections
Session: 54
Location: Delaware B/Hyatt
Date: Wednesday, July 11th, 2012
Time: 1:30 PM
Number: 54001
Abstract ID:963