New records to the marine phycological flora of Cuba

Abstract

From the inventory data on the marine biodiversity of Cuba´s northern and south-eastern coasts collected during the period from July 2011 to April 2012, three new genus and five new species of Cuban algae were for the first time collected: two from the phylum Rhodophyta, one from the phylum Ochrophyta and two from the phylum Chlorophyta. The three genus are Taonia, Rhipiliopsis and Apoglossum, and the five species are Taonia abbottiana, Rhipiliopsis reticulata, Apoglossum ruscifolium, Caulerpa nummularia and Liagora tsengii. The last one is considered rare since it had only been seen in its locality type and more recently found in Cozumel (Mexico). Specimens were collected on rocky substratum from 2 to 15 meters deep. A detailed description on morphology, reproduction and distribution is presented herein as well as illustrations of the five species. Specimens were deposit in the marine collections of the Coastal Ecosystems Research Center (HCIEC), with copies at the National Aquarium of Cuba (HNAC). These findings were made in poorly studied areas of the Cuban archipelago and contribute to know about their distribution in the West Atlantic.