Abstract

As part of a species richness survey and ecological investigation of intertidal epilithic cyanobacteria, samples were collected during winter (November 1998-March 1999) and summer (July-September 1999) from various rocky shores around Hong Kong. Morphological and ecological descriptions are provided for 15 species belonging to the genus Oscillatoria, namely Oscillatoria cf. annae, O. bonnemaisonii, O. cf. borneti, O. brevis, O. chalybea, O. cf. curviceps, O. cf. irrigua, O. cf. limosa, O. margaritifera, O. cf. obtusa, O. cf. ornata, O. cf. princeps, O. cf. proboscidea, O. cf. salina and O. sancta, all of which are new records for Hong Kong. Of these, eight species (O. cf. annae, O. cf. borneti, O. cf. curviceps, O. cf. irrigua, O. cf. obtusa, O. cf. ornata, O. cf. proboscidea and O. cf. salina) are reported for the first time as marine epiliths. Most of the species were restricted to the mid- and lower eulittoral shore and were found in the winter months.