Chrysymenia pseudoventricosa W. E. Schmidt, Gurgel and Fredericq, 2016

Schmidt, W. E., Gurgel, C. F. D. & Fredericq, S., 2016, Taxonomic Transfer of the Red Algal Genus Gloiosaccion to Chrysymenia (Rhodymeniaceae, Rhodymeniales), Including the Description of a New Species, Chrysymenia pseudoventricosa, for the Gulf of Mexico, Phytotaxa 243 (1), pp. 54-70 : 62

Chrysymenia pseudoventricosa W. E. Schmidt, Gurgel and Fredericq , sp. nov.

Figures 9–16 .

HOLOTYPE: sample LAF-NSF-II-78-2 ( WES 16 ), Campeche Banks , Southeastern Gulf of Mexico, Mexico, 22˚10’420” N, 91˚ 09’550” W), 42–43 m depth sample NSF-II-106-3, vegetative plant, attached to rhodolith. Figs. 9–14 , leg. Suzanne Fredericq, deposited in LAF.

ETYMOLOGY: the specific epithet refers to the similarity in habit with C. ventricosa .

SYNONYM: Chrysymenia ventricosa in part

MATERIAL EXAMINED: Campeche Banks, SE Gulf of Mexico, Mexico, LAF-NSF-II-63-1 ( WES 88 ), 21˚48’048” N, 91˚54’962” W), 30–38 m depth ; LAF-NSF-II-106-3, 22˚10’420” N, 91˚ 09’550” W, 18.vi.2005, dredged from a depth of 37–43 m, attached to rhodolith ; sample NSF-II-106-3, vegetative plant. See Table 1.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION: Gulf of Mexico, Florida, Caribbean, Bermuda, Canary Islands [see records in Taylor (1960), Littler and Littler (2000) as C. “ ventricosa ”]

HABIT AND VEGETATIVE STRUCTURE: Thalli up to 10.5 cm tall and 13 cm in width, terete to moderately compressed, with a thickness of approximately 4.5 mm, from a small attachment stipe of 2 mm in height, and a small discoid holdfast ( Fig. 9 ). The blade is hollow and filled with mucilage. Gland cells are pyriform, solitary ( Fig. 10 ), or borne on unmodified medullary cells ( Fig. 11 ). The thallus is completely corticated ( Fig. 12 ), composed of threeto-four pigmented cortical cell layers ( Fig. 13 ), a larger layer of roundish subcortical cells, and one-to-two medullary layers of hyaline cells ( Fig. 14 ). The middle portion of the stipe is of complete solid construction, with pigmented cortical cells transitioning into large hyaline medullary cells filling the solid mass with rhizoidal filaments ( Fig. 15 ). Internal filaments develop either from transformed medullary cells, or invading medullary cells ( Fig. 16 ). Female, male and tetrasporangial thalli were not seen.

REPRESENTATIVE SEQUENCES: HQ400581 (rbc L), KT154726 (LSU), KT154701 (UPA).

Figures

FIGURES 9–16. Chrysymenia pseudoventricosa W.E. Schmidt, Gurgel and Fredericq sp. nov. from the Campeche Banks, SW Gulf of Mexico. 9–14) Holotype, LAF-NSF-II-78-2 (WES16). 9) Habit of non-reproductive plant. Scale bar 2 cm. 10) Cross section at mid thallus region, showing spherical gland cell (arrow). Scale bar 40 μm. 11) Surface view of medullary cells, with gland cells (arrow). Scale bar 100 μm. 12) Surface view of thallus showing complete cortication. Scale bar 40 μm. 13) Cross section of cortical layer at mid thallus region. Scale bar 4.5 μm. 14) Cross section through mid thallus region showing pigmented cortical cells and hyaline medullary cells. Scale bar 100 μm. 15–16) Vegetative specimen LAF-NSF-II-106-3. 15) Cross section through middle part of holdfast showing cortical cells, and medullary cells with dense aggregation of narrow internal filaments. Scale bar 0.5 mm. 16) Internal filaments inside a transformed or invaded medullary cell. Scale bar 100 μm.