- Courier Forsch.-Inst. Senckenberg, 159: 113- 117 - Frankfurt a.M., 0 1.07.1993 The Genus Laurencia (Rhodomelaceae, Rhodophyta) in the Canary Islands I Figure Tha riamiir 1 ~i..-ni.-:~ 1 i.inwinnrtv :e a mrnian nr iii~~GUUJ uuursi~,iu knmvunvun a= a fiiuup vk Ir! !he A!!ari.!ic Cous, STUTC(!W) ?i?ade a short medium-sized, erect, fleshy or cartilaginous, red al- review of three typical European species: L. obtusa gae distributed from temperate to tropical waters. (HUDSON)LAMOUROUX, L. pinnatifida (HUDSON)LA- During the last few years severa1 collections along MoURoUX and L. hybrida (Dc.) LENORMAND.Other the coasts of the Canary Islands have shown the im- researches carried out in this troublesome genus in portant role of the Laurencia species in the intertidal the Atlantic Ocean were made by TAYLOR(1960) in communities; however, it is rather problematic to Eastern Tropical and Subtropical Coasts of America, identify rnany of the taxa observed, and it seems OLIVEIRA-FILHO(1 969) jn Brazil, MACNE(1 980) in necessary to make a biosystematic review of this ge- the French Atlantic Coasts, LAWSON& JOHN(1982) nus in the Macaronesian Region. in the West Coast of Africa, RODRICUEZDE RIOS LAMOUROUXin 1813 established the genus with 8 (1981), RODRIGUEZDERroS & SNTO (1982, 1985) and species, but he didn't mention a type species. Critica1 RODRIGUEZDE RIOS& LOBO(1984) in Venezuela. systematic studies have been made by several authors, C. ACAIU)H(1823, 1824), J.AGARDH(1842, 1851, 1880), DE TON1 (1903, 1924). YMADA(1931). after reviewing many type specimens from different American and European Herbaria. TSENG (1943) Material aod methods studied the Hong-Kong species. DAWSON(1944. 1963) reported on the Pacific Mexican speciesi CRIBE(1958) 7he mnrphology nf !he species were studied using on the Australian species (Southeastern Queensland), the herbarium sheets deposited in the La Laguna DURIRATNMÍ(1963) on species from Sri Lanka and University Herbarium (TFC Phyc.) as well as with HOLLENBERG& ABBOTT (1965) on the Californian fresh sarnples from the Canary Islands; the taxonomi- species. cal characters wcre observed with binocular lens and More recently, the extensive works of SNTO optical microscope. The fresh samples were studied (1964, 1966, 1967, 1969a. 1969b & 1985), SAITO & before and after fixation in 4% formalin in seawater. WOMERSLEY (1974). CHANG& BANGNEI(1980, 1983) kept in a dark place and a part were included in the and Nm & KANG(1984) have made a great contri- TFC Phyc. bution to the knowledge of this oenus in the Pacific The taxonomical characters used for the systema- Basin. tic of the genus over the specific leve1 are: 1) Secondary pit-connections between adjacent su- Since 1987 we couid not oniy coliect al1 the perficial cortical cells: presence (Fig. la) versus above-mentioned species but also 4 identified other absence (Fig. 1b). species and a number of which still remains uniden- 2) Origin of tetrasporangia: adaxial (Fig. Ic) or ab- tified. It is our intention to contini'e !his ir.ves:iga- axial (Fig. Id). tion. 3) Disposition of tetrasporangia in the stichidial branches: parallel type (Fig. le) or right-angle type (Fig. If). Records of species new to the Canary Islands 4) Shape and disposition of spermatangial recepta- cles: cup-like (Fig. Ig) or pocket-like (Fig. Ih); Laurencia corallopsis (MONTAGNE)HOWE (TAY- determinate (ending branch growth) or indeterm- LOR 1928 & 1960; Y~DA1931; RODR~GUEZDE inate (not ending branch growth). R~os& SAITO 1982) Laurencia flexilis SETCHELL(SETCHELL 1926; YA- Besides, other charzcters were tls-d tn idefitify I~ADA143 1; DCERGENCE?: (1945) the species. Laurencia rncjuscula (HARVEY)LUCAS (SAITO 1969b; SAITO & WOMERSLEY 1974; LAWSON& JOHN 1982) Laurencia platycephala KOTZING(MAGNE 1980) Results Laurencia sp. 1 (section Laurencia SNTO) In the Canarian Area, only records and chorologi- cal data of some taxa are known. The first species from the Canarian area was de- Provisional Ley of the genus krunnM scribed by BORYST. VICENT(1804) as Fucus perfora- in the Canary Islands tus BORYI= Laurencia perforata (BORY)MONTAGNE]. Until the recent studies of VIERA-RODRIGUEZet al. With secondary pit-connections between cortical (1987) the following species have been reporte& ce!!s ................... .... ......3 (Subg. Laurencia SNTO) Laurencia brongniartii J. AGARDH(VIERA-RODRI- Without secondary pit-connections between cor- GUEZ 1985; PRUD'HOMMEVAN REINEcom. pers.) tical cells .......................... 3 Laurencia hybrida (Dc.) LENORMAND(PICCONE 1884; BOERGESEN1930; LEVRING 1974; GIL-Ro- Branches terete or subterete. Radial branching DRIGUEZ & AFONSO-CARRILLO1980; AUDIFPRED pattern .............Sect. Laurencia SNTO & WEISSCHER 1984; JORGE et al. 1986; PRUD* (L. majuscula. L. obtusa, L. tenera & L. sp. 1) HOMMEVAN REINEcom. pers.) Branches compressed. Complanate branching Syn.: Laurencia canariensis MONTAGNEin litt. pattern .....Sect. Planae SNTO & WOMERSLEY (KUTZING1849, 1865), Laurencia caespitosa LA- (L. brogniartii) MOUROUX (HARVEY1846- 1851; AGARDH1851) Laurencia obtusa (HUDSON)LAMOUROUX (MON- Tetrasporangia-initials of abaxial cutting-off. TAGNE 1839- 1841; PICCONE 1884; BOERGESEN Spermatangial receptacle of determinate posi- 1930; GIL-RODRIGUEZ& AFONSO-CARRILLO1980; tion, cup-like type and with clear central axis . LOPEZ-HERNANDEZ& GIL-RODRIGUEZ1982; RI- ................................ 4 BERA et al. 1984; AUDIFPRED & WEISSCHER1984; Tetrasporangia-initials of adaxial cutting-off. AUDIFFRED1985; VIERA-RODRIGUEZ1985; JORGE Spermatangial receptacle of determinate posi- et al. 1986; GONZALEZ1986; VIERA-RODRIGUEZ tion, cup-like and/or pocket-like type and with- et al. 1987; PRUD'HOMMEVAN REINEcom. pers.) out clear central axis. Tetrasporangia parallel Laurencia paniculata (C. AGARDH)J. AGARDH type .............. Subg. nov. Pinnatifida (AUDIFFRED1985; GONZALEZ1986). (L. hybrida & L. pinnatifida) Laurencia papillosa (FORSKML) GREVILLE(PIC- CONE ,A.F~NS~-CLD~DJLL= Tatrnsmnrnrn;n -;nkt nnnla tsrrra C 1884; C.!L-RQ~?~Y~EZ iUSi-)luna i6ia ..6... .L'.6XU .J)lY ............ 1980; RIBERAet al. 1984; JORGEet al. 1986). (Subg. Chondrophycus TOKIDA& SNTO) Laurencia perforata (BORY)MONTAGNE (BORYST. Tetrasporangia parallel type .............. VICENT1 804; BOERGESEN1930; LEVRING1974; .................... group Platycephala GIL-RODRIGUEZ& AFONSO-CARRILLO1980; Lo- (L. platycephala) PEZ-HERNANDEZ & GIL-RODRIGUEZ1982; AUDIF- Cortical cells elongate and palisade-like, thallus FRED & WEISSCHER 1984; AUDIFFRED 1985; VIE- drying cartilagineous . Sect. Palisadae YWA RA-RODRIGUEZ1985; JORGEet al. 1986; GONZA- (L. corallopsis, L. paniculata, L. papillosa LEZ 1986; VIERA-RODRIGUEZet al. 1987; PRUD' & L. perforala) HOMMEVAN REINEcom. pers.) Cortical cells not elongate and not palisade-like, Laurencia pinnati f ida (HUDSON) LAMOUROUX thallus not drying cartilagineous ........... (MONTAGNE1839- 1941; PICCONE1884; BOERGE- ............... Sect. Chondrophycus SNTO SEN 1930; LEVRING 1974; GIL-RODRIGUEZ& (L. flexilis) AFONSO-CARRILLO1980; LOPEZ-HERNANDEZ& GIL-RODRIGUEZ1982; RIBERA et al. 1984; Ga- RODRIGUEZet al. 1985; JORGEet al. 1986; GON- Conclusions ZALEZ 1986; PRUD'HOMMEVAN REINEcom. pers.) Laurencia tenera TSENG(PRUD'HOMME VAN REINE In this first contribution to the study of the genus com. pers.) Laurencia in the Canarian ~rchi~ela~o,the number of species have increased from eight to thirteen. The new records are: Laurencia corallopsis, L. Jlexilis, L. majuscula, L. platycephala and Laurencia sp. l. However, other taxa have been collected, although their taxonomic position needs more detailed research. We have made a provisional systematic key to the subgenus and sections of Laurencia studied in our area. Thirteen species have been identified. Eleven have been included in the subgenus Laurencia (sections Laurencia and Planae) and in the subgenus Chondro- phycus (sections Chondrophycus, Palisadae and and a new group "Platycephala").Two species, L. pinnctifi- da and L. hybrida have been included in the new subgenus "Pinnatifida". We propose a third subgenus, Pinnatifida subge- nus nov.: Longitudinal secondary pit-connections Fig. l. The taxonomical characters used of the genus among the cortical cells are absent; the tetras~orangial Laurencia LAMOURO~=- Secnndary plt-cmnectims arrangernents are a parallel type and have adaxial between cortical cells: A = presence; B = absence. - cut-offs; the spermatangial receptacles are cup-like Origin of tetrasporangia: C = adaxial; D = abaxial. - andlor pocket-like; cortical celh are not radially Disposition of tetrasporangia; E = parallel type; F = elongated and not palisade-like. right-angle type. - Shape and disposition of sperma- L. platycephala has not been included in section tangial receptacle: G = cup-like; H = pocket-like. level, it remains as the "Platycephala" group, in the subgenus Chondrophycus. Its systematic position should be reviewed together with other complanate species of the Subtropical Atlantic Area. Summary a -N = Differences between the subgenus and sections Up to now, only eight species of Laurencia have Om of the genus Laurencia been reported on the Canarian Coasts. However, a re- - vision of La Laguna University Herbarium (TFC m0 Phyc.) and with fresh collections made from 1987 to E O I. Subgenus Laurencia SNTO 1989 in several locations along the Canarian Coasts, Longitudinal secondary pit-connections among the have allowed us to add five new records to the Cana- - rian Flora. E cortical cells are presenc the tetrasporangia arrange- a ments are parallel and