Phylogeny and taxonomy of Halimeda incrassata, including descriptions of H-kanaloana and H-heteromorpha spp. nov (Bryopsidales, Chlorophyta)

The tropical green algal genus Halimeda is one of the best studied examples of pseudo-cryptic diversity within the algae. Previous molecular and morphometric studies revealed that within Halimeda section Rhipsalis, Halimeda incrassata included three pseudo-cryptic entities and that the morphological boundaries between H. incrassata and Halimeda melanesica were ill-defined. In this paper, the taxonomy of H. incrassata is revised: two pseudo-cryptic entities are described as new species, Halimeda kanaloana and Halimed heteromorpha, while H. incrassata is redefined to encompass a single, monophyletic entity. Similarities and differences between the three species and H. melanesica are discussed. Monophyly of H. heteromorpha, which was questioned in a former study, is reinvestigated using sets of 32 ITS1-ITS2 and 21 plastid rps3 sequences and various alignment and inference methods. The phylogenetic relationships within Halimeda section Rhipsalis are inferred from nuclear 18S-ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 and concatenated plastid sequences (tufA & rpl5-rps8-infA) and interpreted in a biogeographic context.