Revision of the genera Sirodotia and Batrachospermum (Rhodophyta, Batrachospermales): sections Acarposporophytum, Aristata, Macrospora, Setacea, Turfosa and Virescentia

Abstract

The project involves the application of the molecular phylogeny approach to the genus Sirodotia and of the sections Acarposporophytum, Aristata, Macrospora, Setacea, Turfosa and Virescentia of the genus Batrachospermum, associated with the morphological characterization using the usually applied criteria, as well as others eventually proposed. On the basis of the currently available information (morphological and molecular) on the genus Sirodotia and these sections of the genus Batrachospermum, the following general hypotheses could be tested: the genus Sirodotia and these sections of the genus Batrachospermum represent monophyletic groups within the order Batrachospermales; the recognition of these groups, associated to the fact that Batrachospermum is paraphyletic, will result in the raising of these sections to the genus level; 2) The species currently recognized in each section on the basis of morphological characters will be corroborated by the molecular data; in addition to these species, others (particularly cryptic species) are expected to be found and recognized as distinct species within these groups. This project has some highly relevant aspects, such as: 1) it is a comprehensive systematic treatment, involvind morphological and molecular data of a broad group of freshwater red algae to several regions of the world; 2) it will provide valuable information for comparative analyses of the systematics and phylogeny of the freshwater red algae, specially of the order Batrachospermales; it will generate relevant data to approaches on biodiversity of freshwater macroalgae, as well as to the potential application to the fields of conservation and biomonitoring of freshwater environments. The general scientific contribution will be relevant to the field, since the majority of what currently consists the genus Batrachospermum will be revised. (AU)