Occurrence of Dictyosphaeria (Cladophorales, Chlorophyta) species on the Brazilian coast and oceanic islands, based on morphological and molecular data

Abstract

Molecular data related to morphology from the multicellular vesiculated genus Dictyosphaeria are scarce. We provide the first molecular data on Dictyosphaeria species from the southwestern Atlantic Ocean, sampled from the Brazilian northeastern coast, and two oceanic islands (Trindade, southeastern Brazil, and Fernando de Noronha, northeastern Brazil). The samples from Brazil were morphologically identified as Dictyosphaeria versluysii and D. ocellata. Our newly generated sequences of D. versluysii formed a monophyletic clade, while their relationship with D. versluysii from the Indo-Pacific Ocean, where the type locality of the species is located, was unresolved. Additionally, the newly generated sequences of D. ocellata confirm its status as a distinct species but reinforce the difficulties in morphologically separating this species. These results might be indicative of cryptic diversity in D. versluysii and highlight the need for molecular data from other geographic locations to understand the diversity and distribution of Dictyosphaeria species.