Coralline algae of central New Zealand An identification guide to common ‘crustose’ species Adele Harvey William Woelkerling NIWA Information Series No. 57 Tracy Farr ISSN 1174-264X Kate Neill 2005 Wendy Nelson Coralline algae of central New Zealand An identification guide to common ‘crustose’ species Adele Harvey William Woelkerling Tracy Farr Kate Neill Wendy Nelson NIWA Information Series No. 57 2005 2 Published by NIWA Wellington 2005 Edited and produced by Science Communication, NIWA, Private Bag 14901, Wellington, New Zealand ISSN 1174-264X © NIWA 2005 Citation: Harvey, A.; Woelkerling, W.; Farr, T.; Neill, K.; Nelson, W. (2005). Coralline algae of central New Zealand: an identification guide to common ‘crustose’ species. NIWA Information Series No. 57. 145 p. Cover: Non-geniculate coralline algae on subtidal rock wall. Photo by Sean Cooper, Department of Conservation. Disclaimer Notwithstanding any mention, recommendation, or lack of recommendation for a product or service made in this report by NIWA, NIWA will not be held to have made any endorsement, warranty, promise, or representation as to the suitability, competence, or performance of that product or service. The National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research is New Zealand’s leading provider of atmospheric, marine, and freshwater science Visit NIWA’s website at www.niwa.co.nz Contents List of full page figures, tables, and keys .......................................5 Chapter 6. How to collect and store corallines .........................24 Corallines in situ .................................................................................24 Preface ...............................................................................................6 Table 6.1: Habitats and common substrates ......................................24 Coralline collecting .............................................................................25 PART A – USING THE GUIDE Samples for short-term storage ..........................................................26 Samples for long-term storage ...........................................................26 Principles of handling specimens .......................................................27 Chapter 1. How to use this guide, and its limitations ................7 Processing specimens .......................................................................27 Organisation .........................................................................................7 DNA subsampling ...............................................................................27 How to use this guide ...........................................................................7 Processing for long-term storage .......................................................28 Icons on plates .....................................................................................8 Storage and maintenance ..................................................................29 General limitations of the guide ............................................................8 PART B – GENERAL INFORMATION PART C – CORALLINE ESSENTIALS Chapter 2. Introduction ...............................................................10 Chapter 7. Coming to grips with coralline structure Study area and sources .................................................................... 11 and reproduction .....................................................................31 Organisation .......................................................................................31 Coralline growth forms .......................................................................32 Chapter 3. Introducing coralline red algae ................................14 Coralline substrates ...........................................................................34 Where corallines are found ................................................................14 Reproductive structures – basic morphology and anatomy ...............36 Significance of corallines in the marine environment .........................14 Simplified coralline sexual cycle .........................................................38 Uniporate conceptacles ......................................................................40 Chapter 4. Coralline biodiversity in the greater New Multiporate conceptacles ...................................................................42 Zealand region .........................................................................17 Calcified compartments ......................................................................44 Past records .......................................................................................17 Male, female, and carposporangial conceptacles ..............................46 Type specimen studies .......................................................................17 Vegetative characters .........................................................................48 Species limits .....................................................................................18 The challenge ahead ..........................................................................19 Chapter 5. Coming to grips with coralline taxonomy ...............21 Table 5.1: Diagnostic characters of families and subfamilies .............22 Table 5.2: Diagnostic characters separating genera ..........................23 3 4 PART D – SPECIMEN IDENTIFICATION PART E – SPECIES PROFILES Chapter 8. Specimen identification with direct observation and/or simple lab procedures ...........................52 Chapter 12. Species profiles .......................................................84 Limitations of specimen identification .................................................52 Table 12.1: Species found in central New Zealand ............................85 Steps in specimen identification .........................................................52 Species plates ............................................................................86–125 Table 8.1: Specimen information ................................................54 & 55 Figures 8.2A–C: Flow chart key ...................................................56–58 Acknowledgments .........................................................................126 Chapter 9. Simple lab procedures ..............................................60 Chemicals and equipment ..................................................................60 References .....................................................................................127 Solution preparation ...........................................................................60 Picking off fertile fragments ................................................................61 Decalcifying fragments .......................................................................63 Glossary .........................................................................................131 Slide preparation ................................................................................63 Helpful hints and cautions ..................................................................65 Appendices ....................................................................................138 Table 9.1: Simple lab procedures for thicker plants ...........................66 Table 9.2: Simple lab procedures for very thin plants ........................67 Chapter 10. Specimen identification – using more involved lab procedures .........................................................................71 Limitations of specimen identification .................................................71 Steps in specimen identification .........................................................71 Keys ...................................................................................................72 Key 10.1: Dichotomous key .........................................................73–75 Key 10.2: Tabular key – Corallinaceae ...............................................76 Key 10.3: Tabular key – Hapalidiaceae and Sporolithaceae ..............77 Chapter 11. More involved lab procedures – thin (microtome) sectioning and permanent slide preparation ..78 Chemicals and equipment ..................................................................78 Solution preparation ...........................................................................78 Picking off fertile fragments ................................................................79 Decalcifying fragments .......................................................................81 Staining ..............................................................................................81 Dehydration ........................................................................................81 Embedding in L.R. White resin ...........................................................81 Sectioning using a microtome ............................................................82 Making permanent slides ...................................................................82 List of full page figures, tables, and keys LIST OF FULL PAGE FIGURES Figure 12.11 Melobesia membranacea ..................................106 & 107 PART B – General information Figure 12.12 Mesophyllum engelhartii ....................................108 & 109 Figure 2.2 Collection localities map ........................................12 & 13 Figure 12.13 Mesophyllum erubescens .................................. 110 & 111 Figure 12.14 Mesophyllum macroblastum .............................. 112