• ALGAE
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.187-198
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• 2019

The exploration of seaweed diversity in poorly studied habitats has often led to the discovery of new species. Sand-covered rocks are an example, as they received less attention than sand-free rocky intertidal habitats during seaweed diversity surveys in Brazil. In sand-covered rocks from Espirito Santo and Rio de Janeiro we found an alga whose morphology was unique among rhodomelacean species previously reported in Brazil. With the aim to clarify the taxonomic identity of this species we studied its morphology, as well as its phylogenetic relationships. Molecular analyses resolved this species in the genus Alsidium (tribe Alsidieae) and differed from sequenced congeners with divergences ${\geq}2.5$ and 4.2% in the rbcL and cox1 genes, respectively. Morphological characters were in agreement with the genus Alsidium, and differed from other species currently recognized in the genus. The species consisted of a basal crust and scarcely branched erect axes with seven pericentral cells covered by a continuous layer of cortical cells. Reproductive structures were formed on clusters of short determinate branches. Therefore, the new species A. oliveiranum is proposed based on morphological and molecular evidence. Our findings contribute to better understand the diversity of the tribe Alsidieae, which is particularly diverse in the Americas.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.223-228
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• 2023

Neoporphyra kitoi Ma. Abe, N. Kikuchi, Tamaki, Tom. Sato, Murase, Fujiyoshi & Mas. Kobayashi has been known as an endemic species in Japan. Its high temperature tolerance suggests that it could be advantageous for cultivation. In this study, we collected it from the Ulleungdo island, Korea and transferred it into Pyropia for a new combination, identified as Pyropia kitoi(Ma. Abe, N. Kikuchi, Tamaki, Tom. Sato, Murase, Fujiyoshi & Mas. Kobayashi) D.J. Kim, T.O. Cho & B.Y. Won comb. nov. based on morphological and molecular analyses. Pyropia kitoi is also reported as a new record species in the list of Korean macroalgal flora. Although we didn't observe the emergence of new blades from the rhizoidal cells, which is a key character for this species, our molecular analysis of rbcL revealed that our samples from Korea were congruent with "Neoporphyra kitoi" from Japan and were nested within the clade of Pyropia. The gene sequence divergence between the Korean and Japanese samples was 0-0.2%.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.127-139
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• 2019

The purported four hybrid origins of Asplenium in Korea were tested based on morphological, cytological and DNA sequence data. Asplenium castaneo-viride, A. ${\times}$ uiryeongse, A. ${\times}$ montanus, and A. ${\times}$ kitazawae share several morphological characteristics with the Asian walking fern A. ruprechtii and related taxa as parents and show a sympatric distribution with the putative parents, raising the possibility of hybrid origins: A. castaneo-viride (A. ruprechtii and A. incisum), A. ${\times}$ uiryeongse (A. ruprechtii and A. pekinense), A. ${\times}$ montanus (A. ruprechtii, A. trichomanes, and A. incisum), and A. ${\times}$ kitazawae (A. ruprechtii and A. sarelii). We investigated flow cytometry and chloroplast DNA sequence data (rbcL, rps4-trnS, and rps4-trnS intergenic spacer) to clarify the hybridization and origin of each hybrid. In the flow cytometry analyses, A. ruprechtii shows diploid (2x) only, whereas A. castaneo-viride (3x, 4x), A. ${\times}$ uiryeongse (3x), A. ${\times}$ montanus (3x, 4x), and A. ${\times}$ kitazawae (2x, 4x) exhibit polyploidy, suggesting hybrid events along speciation. The rbcL and rps4-trnS and rps4-trnS intergenic spacer data suggest that A. ruprechtii is one the maternal ancestors of all four hybrids. In addition, the rps4-trnS and rps4-trnS intergenic spacer data indicate that A. incisum is also the maternal ancestor of A. ${\times}$ kitazawae and A. ${\times}$ montanus, proposing multiple hybridization events for these two hybrids. In A. ${\times}$ montanus, morphological features such as the leaf forms and sympatric distributions of the species also support the multimaternal hypothesis, but the morphological features of A. ${\times}$ kitazawae must be examined with consideration of hybrid events. To clarify the complex hybrid evolutionary lineages of the four Asplenium hybrids, further research with taxon sampling and molecular markers should be conducted.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.346-361
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• 2022

Food poisoning accidents caused by poisonous plants occur every year. As certain poisonous plants are mistaken for edible plants causing food poisoning, accurate species identification of poisonous plants is required. DNA barcodes suitable for species identification of poisonous plants and database that can be used for accurate species identification are necessary for their use in forensic cases. In this study, species identification of 19 poisonous plants native to Jeju Island using seven DNA barcodes (trnH-psbA, trnL-trnF, trnL intron, rbcL, matK, ITS1-ITS4, 18S rRNA) was performed to construct a database containing sequence information and DNA barcode universality. trnL-trnF barcode and ITS1-ITS4 barcode were the easiest markers for PCR amplification and sequence retrieval, and the combination of the two barcodes enabled single species identification in 18 out of 19 plants. Therefore, when an investigation of unknown poisonous plants is requested, combination of trnL-trnF and ITS1-ITS4 barcodes is considered as a primary marker for species identification. The database of recommended DNA barcodes for each poisonous plant presented in this study will be helpful in plants poisoning cases.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.135-142
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• 2009

Phylogeny of the family Ophioglossaceae and a phylogenetic position of Mankyua were estimated through analyses of chloroplast rbcL gene sequences and spore morphology. Sequence analysis of the rbcL gene clearly indicated that there are two major lineages in the family Ophioglossaceae: Botrychioid lineage and Ophioglossoid lineage. The Botrichioid lineage is composed of three distinct clades: Botrychium, Helminthostachys and Mankyua, where Helminthostachys and Mankyua were placed as sister groups to the Botrychium. Within the genus Botrychium, subgenera Septridium and Botrychium were monophyletic, while taxa of subgen. Botrypus branched as sister of the two, successively, thus making a non-monophyletic group. Ophioglossum formed the Ophioglossoied lineage, where the subgen. Ophioglossum is monophyletic, while subgen. Cheiroglossa and Ophoderma formed a sister relationship with subgen. Ophioglossum. In terms of external morphology and spores, Mankyua is most similar to Helminthostachys, however, patristic distance in the cladogram and trophophore characteristics of the two genera are distinct. Therefore, Mankyua is a well defined genus within the family in terms of morphology as well as molecular phylogeny which places it in basal position of the Botrychioid lineage on the gene tree.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.967-972
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• 2018

The genus Chattonella belonging to the class raphidophyceae, is a harmful algal bloom species. Recently, its occurrence has been increasing and expanding along the Korean coast. Species identification of the genus Chattonella only by morphological observation is difficult due to the lack of rigid cell walls. In this study, the morphological characteristics and genetic affinity of Chattonella sp. isolated from Deungnyang Bay in 2017 were examined. We carried out single-cell isolation from field samples then sequenced three different areas using the single-cell PCR method: 1) parts of ribosomal operon, the large subunit (LSU) of the rDNA, 2) the chloroplast-encoded subunit psaA of Photosystem I, and 3) rbcL encoding the large subunit of the Rubisco gene. The cells were morphologically very similar to the general genus Chattonella ($74.0{\pm}10.1{\mu}m$ in length, $33.1{\pm}3.6{\mu}m$ in width). The three partial gene sequences were insufficient to justify distinction at the species rank. However, they clustered at 99-100 % sequence similarity with C. marina, C. marina var. antiqua and C. marina var. ovata.

• ALGAE
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.199-205
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• 2003

It has been considered that genus Cosmarium including Staurastrum had the problems in grouping by morphological characters. Sequence data for the Cytochrome Oxidase subunit III (coxIII) were employed to compare with taxa of two divisions of this genus, with sections in each, for evaluating the taxonomic stability of these morphological characters. The division and section systems were not coincided with the phylogeny inferred from coxIII sequences, as the previous reports from us using nuclear rDNA ITS and chloroplast rbcL sequence comparisons in this genus. Two taxa of Staurastrum were not placed within a same clade each other, and one taxon of these was grouped in Arthrodesmus clade. Two genera, Cosmarium and Staurastrum, cannot be regarded as monophyletic from this result. Mitochondrial coxIII gene was considered as a useful phylogenetic tool to evaluate evolutionary relationships of desmids as in the case of land plants.

• ALGAE
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.277-288
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• 2019

Freshwater red algae of the order Batrachospermales are poorly studied in India and Nepal, especially on a molecular basis. During a survey in northeast India and east Nepal, six populations of the genus Sheathia were found and analyzed using molecular and morphological evidence. Phylogenetic analyses based on the rbcL gene sequences grouped all populations in a large clade including our S. arcuata specimens and others from several regions. Sheathia arcuata represents a species complex with a high sequence divergence and several smaller clades. Samples from India and Nepal were grouped in three distinct clades with high support and representing new cryptic species: a clade formed by two samples from India, which was named Sheathia assamica sp. nov.; one sample from India and one from Nepal formed another clade, named Sheathia indonepalensis sp. nov.; two samples from Nepal grouped with sequences from Hawaii and Indonesia (only 'Chantransia' stages) and gametophytes from Taiwan, named Sheathia dispersa sp. nov. Morphological characters of the specimens from these three species overlap one another and with the general circumscription of S. arcuata, which lacks the heterocortication (presence of bulbous cells in the cortical filaments) present in other species of the genus Sheathia. Although the region sampled is relatively restricted, the genetic diversity among specimens of these three groups was high and not closely related in the phylogenetic relationship with the other clades of S. arcuata. These data corroborate information from other groups of organisms (e.g., land and aquatic plants) that indicates this region (Eastern Himalaya) as a hotspot of biodiversity.

• ALGAE
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.213-224
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• 2020

The freshwater red algal genus Sheathia contains species with heterocortication (both bulbous and cylindrical cells covering the main axis) and homocortication (only cylindrical cells). When the genus was proposed, the species with heterocortication were revised, but all specimens with homocortication were assigned to Sheathia arcuata with the caveat that it may represent a species complex. Recent studies have described new species with homocortication and S. arcuata has been rendered paraphyletic. In the current study, new sequences of the rbcL and 5′ region of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I markers were combined with previously published data to construct a robust phylogeny and circumscribe new species. Four new species, S. abscondita, S. californica, S. plantuloides, and S. transpacifica are proposed. Examination of morphological characters among homocorticate species show no diagnostic characters to distinguish among species, whereas S. plantuloides is only known from sporophytes (chantransia) so it lacks the typical morphological characters derived from the gametophytes for comparison. Although DNA sequence data would be needed to make a positive species identification, geography could be employed to narrow the identification to one or two species. The genus is geographically widespread having been recorded from oceanic islands and five continents, whereas the individual species typically occur on a single continent. With this study, the number of species recognized in Sheathia is raised to 17; seven heterocorticate and 10 homocorticate, making this genus one of the most species rich in the Batrachospermales. As well, the resulting phylogeny provides insights into the evolution of heterocortication in Sheathia.

• ALGAE
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.55-68
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• 2018

Foliose species of the Bangiaceae (Porphyra s. l.) are very important in Korean fisheries, and their taxonomy and ecophysiology have received much attention because of the potential for developing or improving aquaculture techniques. Although 20 species of foliose Bangiales have been listed from the Korean coast, some of them remain uncertain and need further comparative morphological studies with molecular comparison. In this study, we confirm the distribution of four Pyropia species from the east coast of Korea, Pyropia kinositae, P. moriensis, P. onoi, and P. retorta sp. nov., based on morphology and rbcL sequence data. Although P. onoi was listed in North Korea in old floral works, its occurrence on the east coast of South Korea is first revealed in this study based on molecular data. P. kinositae and P. moriensis, which were originally described from Hokkaido, Japan, are first reported on the east coast of Korea in this study. Pyropia retorta sp. nov. and P. yezonesis share a similar thallus color and narrow spermatangial patches in the upper portion of the frond, and they have a sympatric distribution. However, P. retorta can be distinguished by the curled or twisted thalli and by molecular data. The biogeographic pattern of the two native species, P. kinositae and P. retorta, suggests that the east coast of Korea may have been a place of refugia during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), and then recolonized to the northern part of Japan through the restored East Korean Warm Current after the LGM.