Zae-Zae A. Aguinaldo

Bio: Zae-Zae A. Aguinaldo is an academic researcher from University of the Philippines Diliman. The author has contributed to research in topics: Kappaphycus alvarezii & Genetic diversity. The author has an hindex of 3, co-authored 4 publications receiving 33 citations.

Genetic differentiation and distribution of Pyropia acanthophora (Bangiales, Rhodophyta) in the Philippines

Abstract: Pyropia acanthophora is a foliose Bangiales with widely known endemic populations in Indo-Pacific region. This alga has expanded its range recently as a consequence of introduction. In an attempt t...

Morphological and molecular confirmation of the occurrence of Pyropia tanegashimensis (Bangiales, Rhodophyta) from Palaui Is., Sta. Ana, Cagayan, Philippines

Abstract: The known morphological features in identifying common species of foliose Bangiales (e.g., members of Pyropia and Porphyra ) , which are very few and often overlapping, are recently resolved using comparative analysis of DNA sequences and statistics. Records of foliose Bangiales in the Philippines were historically identified based on morphology. Considering the recent radical changes in the taxonomy among these rhodophytes and problems posed by morphology-based identification, taxonomic re-appraisal of Philippine foliose Bangiales based on critical morphological and molecular studies is needed. This study used plastid rbc L and mitochondrial COI-5P gene sequences to investigate the identity of foliose Bangiales collected in Palaui Is., Sta. Ana, Cagayan, Philippines. Observation of key phenotypes revealed the identity of the collected materials as Py. tanegashimensis. Resulting phylogenetic trees showed placement of our collected specimens into a highly supported Py. tanegashimensis clade from Japan and Brazil. Our molecular analysis also suggested that the Philippine Py. tanegashimensis includes endemic populations distinct from the introduced strain originally reported from Brazil.

Discovery of novel haplotypes from wild populations of Kappaphycus (Gigartinales, Rhodophyta) in the Philippines

Abstract: Copyright © 2021 The Korean Society of Phycology 1 http://e-algae.org pISSN: 1226-2617 eISSN: 2093-0860 Discovery of novel haplotypes from wild populations of Kappaphycus (Gigartinales, Rhodophyta) in the Philippines Michael Y. Roleda*, Zae-Zae A. Aguinaldo, Bea A. Crisostomo, Lourie Ann R. Hinaloc, Vicenta Z. Projimo, Richard V. Dumilag and Arturo O. Lluisma The Marine Science Institute, University of the Philippines, Diliman 1101, Quezon City, Philippines Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Regional Office No. 8, Marasbaras 6500, Tacloban City, Leyte, Philippines Institute of Oceanography and Environmental Science, Mindanao State University–Tawi-Tawi College of Technology and Oceanography, Boheh Sallang, Sanga-Sanga, Bongao 7500, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines

A review of the current taxonomic status of foliose Bangiales (Rhodophyta) in the Philippines

Abstract: Causes of taxonomic confusion are lamentably well known in foliose Bangiales. A magnitude of these uncertainties stems from the paucity of available taxonomic traits in morphologically homoplastic species. At present, the taxonomic identity and systematics of many of the Philippine foliose Bangiales are in a state of flux. A critical examination of published literature on Philippine records of 10 species of foliose Bangiales has rendered the need for re-confirmation of the presence of Porphyra atropurpurea, Porphyra marcosii, Pyropia denticulata, and Pyropia suborbiculata while records of Porphyra umbilicalis , Pyropia vietnamensis , Wildemania variegata, and the invalid name Porphyra crispata have been omitted from the list. Currently, there are only two confirmed species of foliose Bangiales in the Philippines, which are Pyropia acanthophora and Pyropia tanegashimensis . Thus, this review exhorts a re-examination of collected Philippine foliose Bangiales materials using both morphological and molecular analysis.

The Diversity of Eucheumatoid Seaweed Cultivars in the Philippines

Abstract: Abstract Collectively known as eucheumatoids, Eucheuma denticulatum, Kappaphycus alvarezii, K. malesianus, and K. striatus are the main farmed seaweed species in the Philippines. The success of seaweed farming for over five decades in the country is due, in part, to the high diversity of cultivars maintained by the Filipino farmers. Notwithstanding the fact that many eucheumatoid cultivars are presently (and consistently) recognized by the Filipino farmers, there has been no attempt to summarize the current state of the local traditional knowledge about the diversity of this seaweed group, especially with reference to the taxonomy, cultivar designation and distribution. Factors based on present day local knowledge on the eucheumatoid cultivars and what is known on genetic identification in the Philippines were also discussed. A total of 66 cultivars recognized across 58 provinces in the Philippines were documented. Most of these cultivars were morphologically identified as either K. alvarezii or K. striatus, however, the majority were yet to be genetically identified. In part, due to higher demand of kappa-carrageenan extract as compared from the iota type, K. alvarezii and K. striatus were widely cultivated in the Philippines than that of E. denticulatum. Only in the southern Philippines that K. malesianus is currently cultivated. The diverse cultivars identified in this study suggest that the Filipino farmers possess important traditional knowledge that can be useful for future crop selection and breeding.

The Economics of Kappaphycus SeaweedCultivation in Developing Countries: AComparative Analysis of Farming Systems

Abstract: The farming of the red seaweed Kappaphycus alvarezii and related species as raw material for the hydrocolloid carrageenan rapidly spread from the Philippines in the late 1960s to Indonesia, Tanzania, and other tropical countries around the world. Although numerous studies have documented positive socioeconomic impacts for seaweed farming, factors such as diseases and distance to export markets have led to an uneven development of the industry. Using standard budgeting techniques, this study adapted production and market data from a FAO-led global review of seaweed farming to develop comparative enterprise budgets for eight farming systems in six countries (Indonesia, the Philippines, Tanzania, India, Solomon Islands, and Mexico). Although the basic technology package is the same across countries, the study revealed large differences in the economic performance of systems due to wide variations in farm prices and the scale of operations. Although seaweed farming is a suitable activity for small-scale producers, a minimum of 2,000m of cultures lines are still necessary to ensure adequate economic returns. Greater farming plots may be needed if farm prices are well below the average farm prices paid in Indonesia and the Philippines. Policy recommendations are made to improve the economic potential of underperforming systems.

Redefining Pyropia (Bangiales, Rhodophyta): Four New Genera, Resurrection of Porphyrella and Description of Calidia pseudolobata sp. nov. From China

Abstract: The cosmopolitan red algal genus Pyropia sensu lato is the most speciose of the bladed Bangiales genera. In a major revision of the Bangiales, Pyropia was resurrected from Porphyra, although there was evidence at the time that species of Pyropia could be separated into several genera. Subsequent global phylogenetic analyses continued to resolve species assigned to Pyropia into several major clades with strong support, and the latest biogeographic analyses indicated that species distribution was also a pointer to the underlying phylogeny of Pyropia sensu lato. Therefore, in the present study, we have redefined the genus Pyropia, resurrected Porphyrella, and proposed four new genera: Calidia, Neoporphyra, Neopyropia, and Uedaea. Based on a molecular phylogenetic study of the bladed Bangiales of China, a species which did not match any known taxa was resolved in the new genus Calidia. The species, Calidia pseudolobata sp. nov., is described based on both morphological and molecular data. Molecular sequence data for rbcL, 18S, and COI-5P were amplified for 15 samples in the present study. All the obtained rbcL sequences were identical to each other except for one (LYCN117) with one base pair difference. Two haplotypes of 18S (V9 region) were observed with one base pair difference (C/T30 ). All the obtained COI-5P sequences were identical. Morphological comparisons were conducted not only with species in Calidia, but also with generically uncertain species currently assigned to Porphyra.

Advancing the taxonomy of economically important red seaweeds (Rhodophyta)

Abstract: The cultivation of red seaweeds for food (nori), agar and carrageenans is the basis of a valuable industry. However, taxonomic knowledge of these cultivated seaweeds and their wild relatives has not kept pace with advances in molecular systematics despite the fundamental importance of being able to identify commercially important species and strains, discover cryptic and endemic taxa and recognize non-native species with potentially damaging diseases and epiphytes. This review focuses on molecular taxonomic advances in the cultivated red algae with the highest commercial value globally: Eucheuma and Kappaphycus, Porphyra sensu lato and Gracilaria. All three groups are similarly taxonomically challenging: speciose, morphologically plastic, with poorly resolved species boundaries. Eucheuma and Kappaphycus are frequently misidentified and the molecular markers cox2-3 spacer, cox1 and RuBisCO spacer have helped in understanding phylogenetic relationships and identifying new species and haplotypes. In ...