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First Record of Nemalion helminthoides (Velley in Withering) Batters (Liagoraceae, Rhodophyta) for the
Southern Mediterranean Coast of Libya
Omar Ahmed Shtewi and Abdulfetah Fetory
Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Seventh April University, and Marine biology research centre, Tajoura, Libya
Abstract. In this work the occurrence of Nemalion helminthoides (velly) Batters (Liagoraceae, Rhodophyta) on the Mediterranean coast of Libya was reported. This is the first record of N. helminthoides outside its previously known distribution in the Mediterranean sea.
The identification was based on morphological revision and comparison with specimens determined by others. Thalli were collected from intertidal zone of ElKhoms beach (Cilin), Libya, in March 2005. The morphological structure, as well as habit and geographic distribution of the species are described. Reproductive structures were also observed in our specimens.
Keywords: red algae, Mediterranean sea, Nemalion helminthoides, Liagoraceae.
Introduction Nemalion helminthoides (velly) Batters, 1902 Provisional lectotype Dixon and Irvine (1977) Fucus elmintholdesVelley in Withering (1792).
Holotype: collected on March 2005 Type locality: ElKhoms, Libya
Distribution: Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Yugoslavia, Turkey, Germany, Poland, Russia, Brazil, Uruguay, and Libya (this paper).
The alga N. helminthoides (velly) Batters was initially described by Velley and Batters, and it was subsequently reported by many authers (Boney, 1966; Dixon and Irvine, 1977; Lee, 1980; Campbell, 1982;
Hiscock, 1984; Bold and Wynne, 1985; Kraft, 1989: Taylor and et al 1997; Graham and Wilcox, 1999. In this study we reported the occurrence of this species in Libyan waters (southern Midterranean sea).
Plants of N. helminthoides were collected from the upper to the middle intertidal zone of Khoms beach (Fig. 1), during march 2005.
Some specimens were fixed and preserved in 5% Formaldehyde seawater for further observations, and some specimens were dried on herbarium sheet. Photographs were taken with digital camera (Canon PC 1089, Japan) attached to a Carl Zeiss, Light microscope, Germany. Thalli erect, growing in clusters and attached to rocks in the upper and middle intertidal zones of moderately exposed areas، dull purplish in colour, exceedingly slimy, with several subsimple axes from each disclike base, occasionally branching near the distal end ; 12 – 20 (30) cm. tall 2 – 3 (5) mm. diameter (Fig. 2). The laterals are all of about the same length (Fig. 5); monoecious, spermatangia borne on the youngest parts of the plant in cluster (Fig. 3); carpogonial branches usually 4- 5 celled with a terminal elongated trichogyne (Fig. 4). The placental cell divides many times longitudinally, producing gonimoblasts (Fig. 5).
Fig. 1. Map showing the sample site on the western coast of ElKhoms.
Fig. 2. Nemalion helminthoides (Velley in Withering) Batters. Thalli collected on March 2005 from the intertidal zone of Cilin, Khoms, Libya. Scale = 3 cm.
Fig. 3. Spermatangial production . Scale = 50 µm.
Fig. 4. Carpogonial branch . Scale = 50 µm.
Fig. 5. T.S. of thallus. X 4.
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by Marine Biology Research Centre, Tajoura. We thank Eng. NorAddin Asarbot Director of M.B.R.C.
Tajoura, and also Mr. Mohamed Treesh.
References
Bold, H.C. and Wynne, M.J. (1985) Introduction to the Algae, Prentice-Hall, London. 720 p.
Boney, A.D. (1966) A Biology of Marine Algae, Huchiston, London. 216 p.
Campbell, A.C. (1982) The Hamlyn Guide to the Flora and Fauna of the Mediterranean Sea, Hymlin Pupl., London, 836 p.
Dixon, P.S. and Irvine, L.M. (1977) Seaweeds of the British Isles, Volume 1 Rhodophyta, British Museum (Natural History) London. 252 p.
FAO, ECEE (1987) Méditerranée et mer noir, Zone de peche 37, vegetaux et invertebres, vol. 1, Rome.
Graham, L.E. and Wilcox, L.W. (2000) Algae, Prentice-Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, xvi + 640 + 59 p.
Hiscock, S. (1984) A Field Key to the British red Seaweeds. AIDGAP. 101 p.
Kraft, G.T. (1989) Cylindraxis rotundatus gen, Et sp. Nov. and its generic relationships within the Liagoraceae (Nemaliales, Rhodophyta), Phycologia, 28 (3): 275 –304.
Lee, R.E., (1980) Phycology, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, London, 478 p.
Taylor, D.J., Green, N.O. and Stout, G.W. (1997) Biological Science 1. Organisms, Energy and Environmental, Cambridge University Press. 435 p.
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