ATOLL RESEARCH BULLETIN
No.
65
Some Marine Algae from Canton A t o l l by
E. Yale Dawson
Issued by
THE PACIFIC SCIWCE BOARD
$rational Academy of Sciences--NhLional Research Council li'ashington, D. C.
May 15, 1959
Some Marine Algae from Canton A t o l l
&/
by
E. Yale Dawson
The following annotated l i s t has r e s u l t e d from an examination of a c o l l e c t i o n of algae made during t h e f i r s t p a r t of February, 1958, by Dr.
and Mrs. Otto Degener on Canton A t 0 3 1 i n t h e Phoenix group. Only t h e green, brown, and red algae a r e t r e a t e d here, inasmuch a s a r a t h e r l a r g e s e r i e s of Cyanophyta has been i d e n t i f i e d by D r . Francis Drouet and i s ac- counted i n Bulletin No. 64.
With t h e exception of about a dozen species mentioned by Degener &
Gillaspy (1955) on the b a s i s of determinations by M. S. Doty, t h i s i s t h e f i r s t f l o r i s t i c l i s t of which I am aware of t h e marine vegetation of Canton Atoll, o r of any i s l a n d i n t h e Phoenix group. Accordingly, these records supplement and extend our knowledge of c e n t r a l P a c i f i c a t o l l f l o r a s derived from such r e p o r t s a s have appeared i n recent years f o r t h e Marshall, Gilbert, and Line Islands ( c f . Taylor 1950, Dawson, Aleem &
Halstead
1955,
Dawson 1956, 1957, Moul 1957).The specimens a r e c i t e d according t o Degener c o l l e c t i o n numbers.
The f i r s t s e t of specimens, a l l of which are l i q u i d preserved, has been deposited i n the Herbarium of t h e University of California, Berkeley.
Enteromorpha c l a t h r a t a ( ~ 0 t h ) J. Ag. 24841.
Enteromorpha sp. 24863. This appears t o agree with w h a t Chapman has c a l l e d
-
E. c l a t h r a t a v a r . pumila (Aresch, ) Chapm. from New Zealand.Enteromorpha k y l i n i i Bliding 24763;
Ulvella
-
l e n s Crouan 24843a, growing Cladophora f a s c i c u l a r i s ( ~ e r t ) K&Z.1% cm. t a l l , i s i n nood agreement
on Caulerpa s e r r u l a t a .
24717. This material, about with Borgesen's i l l u s t r a t i o n s o? specimens both from M a k i t i u s and t h e
vest
Indies. Thespecimens a r e much smaller i n height than many West Indian ones, b u t agree i n c e l l s i z e and form.
Cladophore flexuosa ( ~ r l f f i t h s ) Harv. 24852. The specimens show such close accord i n s i z e , habit, branching and c e l l form with t h i s t r o p i c a l A t l a n t i c species a s t o be r e f e r a b l e here with reasonable c e r t a i n t y . The s i m i l a r i t y t o Vicker's i l l u s t r a t i o n of t h e species from Barbados i s e s p e c i a l l y s t r i k i n g . The p l a n t i s reported from Australia, b u t apparently not from t h e c e n t r a l P a c i f i c
.
---..---"
1.. Contribution from t h e Beaudette Foundation f o r Biological Research, Solvang, California.
Dictyosphaeria cavernosa (Porrsk.) BErg. .. -, 2 211735; 24832;
24839; 21d65.
Boodlea composita ( ~ a r v . ) Brand 24716b; 24719. The l a t t e r spec%- men represents a l a x form and bears much s t e r i l e Ceramium
gracillimum v. byssoideum.
. . .;,::...:.,..: . . . ..;,
~ l a d o ~ h o r o p s i s
- ---
g r a c i l l i r m D&son . . 24758. :.:j~ijes& :.&re i n good agree- ment i n s t r u c t w e , b u t a r e s l i g h t l y c o a r s e r t h a n e i t h e r the Mexican type o r m a t e r i a l from Arno Atoll, Mirshall Islands, and much coarser than Enivetolc material. The c d o n y i s q u i t e com- pact and t h e filaments densely arranged i n a r a t h e r e r e c t fashion.The exceedingly long c e l l s and thick, s t r a t i f i e d w a l l s a r e dis- t i n c t i v e . Number 24781 i s s t i l l coarser, up t o 140
p
i n diam- e t e r i n some places, al-though mostly about 125p.
Some of t h e walls a r e up t o 20 u t h i c k . This would seem -to be a p a r t i c u - l a r l y robust form of t h i s generally slender species.Cladophoropsis sundanensis Reinbold 24715. This i s very much l i k e material from Palmyra Island, forming rounded, compact colonies a s reported from t h e r e . The filaments a r e about t h e s a m e s i z e o r tending t o be s l i g h t l y l a r g e r . 248'26a, growing i n a t u r f with Jania t e n e l l a , has filaments F(O-lOO u i n diameter. 24747 i s a
-
very young colony compacted with Lyrigbya Tilaments. 24766 shows the c h a r a c t e r i o t i c sub-spherical clumps, b u t t h e c e l l s a r e very long. 211820 has filaments 100-130p
i n diameter. 24846 i s a darker colored form with somewhat s h o r t e r c e l l s than other ma- t e r i a l from t h i s a r e a . It may be a d i s t i n c t e n t i t y , but points of d i s t i n c t i o n a r e not c l e a r . . 'Derbesia a t t e n u a t a Darmon 21r572a. W e l l developed, t y p i c a l ma-
-- --
t e r i a l , on Turbinaria.
Caulerpa raceniosa var. p e l t a t a (LW. ) Eubank 24713; 24716;
-756a;24'f@;
2483-5; 24861; 24864.Caulerpa racemosa var. t u r b i n a t a (J. Ag. ) Eubanls 24784.
Caulerpa s e r r u l a t a (Porrsk.) J. Ag. emend. Bsrg. 24751; 24756;
-
2 m 2 ; 24843.Caulerpa u r v i l l e a n a Mont
.
var.
24840; 24842.Bryopsis pennata Lamx. 24731; 24743 (on Turbinaria); 211822a;
7 8 3 7 - 2 4 8 U n i l a t e r a l branching i s e s p e c i a l l y prominent and consistent i n t h i s l a s t c o l l e c t i o n .
The following i d e n t i f i c a t i o n s and notes on Codium a r e provided by Dr. Paul C. Silva, University of I l l i n o i s .
Codium ovale Zanard. 247116; 24740. This l a t t e r c o l l e c t i o n i s &
--
mixture of two species gro>ring i n intimate association: Codium-
ovale and a nernber of t h e C . arabicum complex. The known range
-
of- -
C. ovale has <or$ been extended beyond t h e .type l o c a l i t y( ~ e w Guinea) t o include Kwajalein, Majuro and Canton i s l a n d s . The adherent Codium
-
is somewhat niore c e r e b r i f o m than i s usual f o r C . arabicum, b u t anatomically it c l e a r l y r e v e a l s i t s r e l a t i & s h i p to711e-
C.
arabicum complex.Codium geppii 0 . C. Schmidt 24714; 24570; 24780; 24821; 21~851;
- 8 n h e s e a r c very s i m i l a r t o t h e type c o l l e c t i o n . I n t h e Indo-Pacific region a member o f t h e C . arabicum complex and one of t h e C. geppii complex a r e always Tound a s an i n t e g r a l p a r t of t h e
cia-is
of coral. r e e f s . I n t h e A t l a n t i c a s i m i l a r , b u t l e s s constant, r e l a t i o n s h i p holds: an adherent form, r e f e r a b l e t o t h e C. intertextum complex, i s invariably present on c o r a l r e e f s , & i l e a repent form, r e f e r a b l e t o t h e-
C . repens complex, i s found only on c e r t a i n i s l a n d s .Halirneda f r a g i l i s Taylor 24774.
Halimeda micronesica Yainada 24768. A good specimen
6-7
cm. t a l l . Halimeda opuntia ( L . ) Lam. 24771.PHAEOPHYTA
Ectocarpus
-
indicus Sonder 24836. Good m a t e r i a l on Turbinaria with very long p l u r i l o c u l a r sporangia o f t e n t o 200p
o r more.Sphacelaria f u r c i g e r a Kiitz. 24754 (on o l d Turbinaria); 24752b.
Sphacelaria sp. 24723a. This may be a t r o p i c a l form of S. A sub- fusca Setch. & Gard. The specimens have propagulae l i i i e
2.
-
furcigera, but many of them a r e t r i f u r c a t e r a t h e r than b i - f u r c a t e . P l u r i l o c u l a r sporangia, however, a r e dominant on t h i s material.Dictyota f r i a b i l i s S e t c h e l l 24845a; 24828; 24859; 24862; 24868.
This l a t t e r c o l l e c t i o n i s almost without doubt l i k e t h e type from T a h i t i .
Dictyopteris repens ( O M ) Bijrg. 24752 (small amount).
Pocockiella papenfussii Taylor 24824.
Pocockiella variegata
(Lamx.
) Papenf. 24765.Turbinaria ornata (Turn.) J. Ag. 24783.
Turbinaria t r i a l a t a ( J . Ag.) Kiitz. 24721.
RHODOPHYTA
Gelidium pusillum (Staclrh. ) Le J o l i s 24736. Typical, small, cystocarpic m s t e r i a l 3-4. mm. t a l l .
Pterocladia sp. 24 (42; 24755. These t e t r a s p o r i c and cystocarpic materials a r e w e l l developed, over 2 cm. t a l l , and pinnately branched much as i n Pterocladia
-
nana Okam. from southern Japan and Formosa. They may be r e f e r r e d p r o v i s i o n a l l y t o t h a t species, but a d d i t i o n a l Pterocladia-
c o l l e c t i o n s from t h e cen- t r a l P a c i f i c , such a s a t Palmyra I s l a n d where one i s reported from i n t e s t i n a l contents of f i s h e s ( ~ a w s o n , Aleem and Halstead, 1955) a r e needed t o enable us t o i n t e r p r e t more s a t i s f a c t o r i l y t h e occurrence of t h i s genus.G e l i d i e l l a r i g i d i u s c u l a r run ow) J. Feldmann 24737. This r i c h l y f e r t i l e m a t e r i a l has t h e s t i c h i d i a branching much a s i n G.
a c e r o s a , b u t i s smaller i n s i z e : 300 p down t o 120
p
i n the- ultimate branchlets. This i s i n agree'ment with t h e discussion and key i n Feldmann (1931) of G. rigidiusculum from Ceylon, f o r which reproduction i s not Feported. The , s i z e and h a b i t a r e much l i k e G. hancockii from t h e Gulf of C a l i f o r n i a , ' b u t t h a tspecies haz c y l i n ~ i c a l t e t r a s p o r a n g i a l s t i c h i d i a on s h o r t l a t e r a l branchlets r a t h e r than acute, bulbous, terminal ones a s i n t h e present m a t e r i d . This d i s p o s i t i o n seems j u s t i f i e d awaiting t h e r e p o r t of f e r t i l e m a t e r i a l from Ceylon f o r com- parison. 24838 (with some Herposiphonia secunda); 24759
( t e t r a s p o r a n g i a l ) ; 24832a ( ~ w w i t h t y o s p h a e r i a ) ; 24789. The t e t r a s p o r a n g i a l s t i c h i d i a i n t h i s c o l l e c t i o n a r e s o abundant a s t o terminate almost every branch.
Gelidiopsis i n t r i c a t a ( c . Ag.) Vickers 24728; 24857a.
J a c i a c a p i l l a c e a Harv. 24857.
-.---
J a n i a micrarthrodia Lam. 24761a (cystocarpic); 24737a (with
-
Gelidiellii-i;igidiuscula) ; 24860.J a n i a t e n e l l a Kiitz. 21~826 ( i n mixture); 24822 ( a questionable
- --
form with very abundant conceptacles )
.
Hypnea e s p e r i Bory? 24730; 24854. These specimens have t h e t e t - rasporangial s o r i i n p a r t a t f i r s t u n i l a t e r a l on t h e branches, causing some d i s t o r t i o n . Later they may f i l l i n a l l around.
They a r e s i m i l a r i n t h i s character t o specimens reported and i l l u s t r a t e d by S e t c h e l l a s H. n i d i f i c a
-
J. Ag. from T a h i t i . G r a c i l a r i a sp. 24866. This may be the p l a n t described a sCorallopsis reptans Weber van Bosse, Prom t h e Kei I s l a n d s . Lomentaria sp. 2486ko.
Ceramium c l a r i o n e n s i s Setch. & Gard. 24730b.
Ceramium equisetoides Dawson 24864a. These a r e i n good agree- ment with P a c i f i c Mexican specimens.
Ceramium gracillimum var
.
byssoideum ( ~ a r v . ) G. Mazoyer 24716a;: -4a (with Caulerpa racemosa v. t u r b i n a t a ) ; 211730a ( a very l a x form); 2-43b.
Ceramium vagabunde Dawson 24843~. This material is somewhat more slender than Eniwetok specimens and has nodal bands more like those of the material reported from isla San Bene- dicto, Mexico, yet the agreement is generally satisfactory.
Growing with Caulerpa serrulata.
Ceramium sp. 2484Oa. Fertile, tetrasporangial material appar- ently near C. persoriatum Setch. & Gard. The agreement is good except that-the descending appendages within the axial cells were not observed. The tetrasporangia are at first abaxial, then whorled and involucrate. Growing with Caulerpa
-
urvil-leans.
-
Grirf ithsia sp. 24864c, sterile.
Herposiphonia secunda (Ag.) Aubronn 24733 (richly developed);
24805; 2 G 8 ~ ~ h l y developed); 24834.
Heterosiphonia wurdemannii var
.
laxa Borg. 24748 (mixed with Herposiphonia); 21~741 (in mixture); 24854a (on old ~urbinaria);24853.
The following determinations and notes on
Polysiphonia are provided by Dr. George J. Hollenberg of the University of Redlands, California
Polysiphonia ferulacea Suhr 24866a. This determination is probably correct if Tseng, Cribb and others have been correct in their identifications of Pacific specimens. It should be considered tentative, however, until male plants are found.
Polysiphonia flaccidissima Hollenberg 24867. This determination is probably reliable although the segpents are shorter (1.0- 1.- diameters) and the trichoblasts are not well developed and wigh tapering tips.
Polysiphonia mollis Hook. & Earv. ? ? 24823. This identification is doubtful because of (1) . . small size; (2) . . . obvious smpodial branching; (3) very long, continuous tetrasporangial branches.
Laurencia nana Howe palisade type, although an error occurs in expressing this in
- 24761.
The cortical cells are of the non- Dawson1957,
p. 124.LITERATURE CITED Dawson, E. Y.
1956. Some marine algae of the southern Marshall Islands. Pac.
S c i . 10(1): 25-66,
66
f i g s .1957. An annotated l i s t of marine algae from Eniwetok Atoll, Marshall Islands. Pac. S c i . l l ( 1 ) : 92-132, 31 f i g s .
~awson, E. Y., A. A. Aleem and B. W. Halstead
1955. Marine algae from Palmyra 1sl&d with s p e c i a l reference t o t h e feeding h a b i t s and t o x i c o l o w of reef f i s h e s . Allan Hancock Found. Publ., Occas. Papers (17): 1-39, 1 map, 1 3 f i g s .
Degener, 0. and E. Gillaspy.
195.5. Canton Island, South P a c i f i c . A t o l l Res. Bull. 41: 39-42.
Feldmann, J.
1931. Remarques s u r l e s genres Gelidiwn Lamour., Gelidiopsis Schmitz e t Ecllinocaulon (Xiitzl)mend. R e c u d de Trav.
Cryptogam. dedie's a Louis Mangin. pp. 151-166. P a r i s . Moul, E. T.
1957. Preliminary r e p o r t on t h e f l o r a of Onotoa Atoll, G i l b e r t Islands. A t o l l Res. Bull. 57:. 1-48.
. . . .
Taylor, W . R.
. . ., .
1950. Plants of B i k i n i . . . . xv 227 pp., 79 p l s . Univ. Michigan Press, Ann Arbor:
