Abstract
Two new Ethelia (Etheliaceae, Rhodophyta) species are described from Puerto Rico and a third from the Bahamas. None were found at both locations. All three differ from previously described Ethelia species in possessing ventral rhizoids as well as possessing variably extensive ventral parenchymatous outgrowths. Ethelia crassa has been collected at a shallow-water, high wave energy site in southwestern Puerto Rico and at an exposed site at Mona Island. The species forms highly conspicuous orange encrustations that are thicker than any other Ethelia species. Etheliacrassa also possesses prominent mesothallial vein cells. A second Puerto Rican species, Ethelia magnieni, restricted to habitats greater than 60 m depth, also forms thick encrustations and is characterized by its very small cortical filaments, 3.0 μm in diameter. The third, Ethelia excrescens, is from deep-water Bahamian habitats and possesses dorsal surface projections as well as extensive parenchymatous ventral outgrowths. SSU DNA sequencing performed on E. magnieni and E. crassa confirmed their placement in the genus as well their status as independent species.
About the authors
David L. Ballantine is presently a Research Associate in the Department of Botany, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution. He spent over 30 years at the Department of Marine Sciences, University of Puerto Rico where his research dealt primarily with systematics and ecology of Caribbean marine algae.
Hector Ruíz, earned his doctorate degree in marine biology from the University of Puerto Rico at the Mayaguez Campus with an emphasis on ecology and taxonomy of coral reef algae. Dr. Ruiz is the executive director of HJR Reefscaping. HJR Reefscaping in collaboration with local and federal agencies have completed various environmental restoration projects in mangrove keys, coral reefs and seagrass habitats.
Chad Lozada-Troche works at the University of Puerto Rico at Cayey, where he teaches genetics, mycology and botany. His research focus has been centered on macroalgal molecular systematics, particularly Rhodymeniales species from Puerto Rico.
James N. Norris is currently a Research Scientist and Curator Emeritus in the Department of Botany, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution. He has spent over 40 years at the museum and US National Herbarium, focusing his research on systematics and ecology of marine algae of Gulf of California, Pacific Mexico and Panama, and the tropical and subtropical western Atlantic.
Acknowledgments
This study was partially funded by the Caribbean Marine Research Center of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration-National Undersea Research Program, which made ship time available aboard the R/V Bahama Hunter and dives using the research submersible DSV Nekton Gamma. We wish to express our appreciation to the submersible and tender crew, particularly Mr. Robert Wicklund Jr., Ray Brockway and Don and Sally Tondro, as well as to the administrative staff of Lee Stocking Island. We also thank Scott Whittaker, NMNH Digital Imaging Lab. (Smithsonian Institution), for photographic assistance. DLB acknowledges funding by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration Coastal Ocean Program under award #NA17OP2919 and (in part) #NA06NOS4780190 to the University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez. JNN acknowledges partial support of NSF Bioinventory grants (SI-DSCG-542079 and SI-DSGC-642079).
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