• ALGAE
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.231-238
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• 2009

The genus Grateloupia is the largest with more than 96 currently recognized species in the family Halymeniaceae, but morphological features of the genus are highly homoplasious making species identification difficult. In this study, we analyzed rbcL gene from 34 samples collected in Korea and compared the haplotypes of Korean species with those already published. The rbcL tree confirmed the occurrence of eight species in Korea: G. asiatica, G. catenata, G. divaricata, G. elliptica, G. imbricata, G. lanceolata, G. subpectina, and G. turuturu. All, except G. asiatica and G.catenata, been introduced from their native northeastern Asian waters to Australasian, European, and North American waters. The introduced haplotypes of G. lanceolata in Europe and North America were absent in Korea, while haplotype sharing of G. turuturu in Korea and Europe was common. Further sampling will show a source population of each introduced species and also provide a correct list of Grateloupia from Korea, including the other remaining 11 species of the genus.