A catalogue with keys to the non-geniculate coralline algae (Corallinales, Rhodophyta) of South Africa
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Date
2008
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Elsevier
Abstract
Non-geniculate coralline red algae are common in all of the world’s oceans, where they often occupy close to 100% of the primary
rocky substratum. The South African rocky subtidal and intertidal habitats in particular, are rich in diversity and abundance of
non-geniculate coralline red algae. Despite their ubiquity, they are a poorly known and poorly understood group of marine
organisms. Few scattered records of non-geniculate coralline red algae were published prior to 1993, but these should be treated
with caution since many taxa have undergone major taxonomic review since then. Also, generic names such as Lithophyllum and
Lithothamnion were loosely used by many authors for a host of different non-geniculate coralline algae. A series of taxonomic
studies, based mainly on the Western Cape Province of South Africa, published particularly between 1993 and 2000, has
significantly extended our knowledge of these algae from southern Africa. References to these latter papers and the older records
are now gathered here and a list of the well delimited families (3), subfamilies (4), genera (17) and species (43) are presented. A
catalogue with keys to the various taxonomic categories is also provided. A marked reduction in the number of real taxa has been
found largely because many earlier recorded taxa have been reduced to synonymy, or have not been verified, or examined in a
modern context and so their placement is considered dubious, particularly because the Corallinales have undergone major
taxonomic revisions in recent years.
Description
Keywords
Catalogue, Corallinales, Key, Non-geniculate coralline algae, South Africa
Citation
Maneveldt, G.W., et al. (2008). A catalogue with keys to the non‐geniculate coralline algae (Corallinales, Rhodophyta) of South Africa. South African Journal of Botany, 74: 555‐566