The diagnosis of the order Sporolithales is currently restricted to tetrasporangial anatomy. Until recently, there were few reports about gametangial, and more specifically carposporangial material for the Sporolithales. This study provides the first detailed observations of the anatomy of the mature carposporophyte phase from three species of Sporolithales commonly found in rhodolith beds from Brazil: Sporolithon episporum, S. ptychoides, and Sporolithon sp. Using these observations, along with previously published descriptions and illustrations from other representative species in the order, a comparison was made with the other three orders (Corallinales, Hapalidiales, and Rhodogorgonales) of the Corallinophycidae. We amend the diagnosis of the order Sporolithales to include the anatomy of the mature carposporophyte as follows: carposporangial conceptacles that lack a central fusion cell, but instead with numerous, short, one to two-celled, filaments that bear oblong terminal carposporangia that are distributed across the conceptacle chamber floor and walls.

The Sporolithaceae: its place in the Florideophycidae. PhD Thesis (PhD)

Citations

New diagnostic characters for the order Sporolithales (Corallinophycidae, Rhodophyta)

References

New diagnostic characters for the order Sporolithales (Corallinophycidae, Rhodophyta)

Related Papers (5)

Abstract of PhD thesis

Studies in the Brhatkatha

Summary of the PhD Thesis

Summary of phd thesis

PhD THESIS (Summary)