Cladophora montagneana Kützing (1849: 415)

Gestinari, Lísia Mônica De Souza, Pereira, Sonia Maria Barreto & Yoneshigue-Valentin, Yocie, 2010, Distribution of Cladophora Species (Cladophorales, Chlorophyta) along the Brazilian Coast, Phytotaxa 14, pp. 22-42 : 30-31

5. Cladophora montagneana Kützing (1849: 415) . Map 1 ; Figs. 2D–F

Thalli delicate, lubricous, dark to dull green, measuring (1.5 –) 2 (– 3.5) cm high, sometimes 11 cm in height, attached to the substrate by basal rhizoids. Organization irregular, with branches apically or laterally inserted, sometimes subterminally, in distal regions of the main axis. Pseudodichotomous to unilateral ramification. Apical cells tapering, slightly tapering or cylindrical, measuring (24 –) 30 (– 35.5) µm wide and (64 –) 93 (– 118) µm long, with L/W ratio (2 –) 3 (– 4); terminal branches cells measuring (30 –) 37.5 (– 47) µm wide and (90 –) 115 (– 147) µm long with L/W ratio (2 –) 3 (– 4); main axis cells measuring (57 –) 72 (– 90.5) µm wide and (183 –) 256 (– 340) µm long with L/W ratio (2.5 –) 3.5 (– 5). Fertile specimens were collected from Cabo Branco Point (PB) and Capuba Beach (ES).

Representative specimens examined: BRAZIL. Ceará: Caucaia, Praia do Pacheco, 17 Sep. 2001, Xavier et al. (PEUFR 42653); 18 Sep. 2001 Xavier et al. (PEUFR 42655); 17 Oct. 2001 Xavier et al. (PEUFR 42656); Paraíba: João Pessoa, Ponta do Cabo Branco, 07 Oct. 2001, Gestinari & Kanagawa (PEUFR 42657); Pernambuco: Goiana, Praia de Carne de Vaca, 20 Jul. 2001, Gestinari & Torres (PEUFR 42658); Recife, Praia de Boa Viagem, 30 Sep. 2000, Gestinari & Torres (PEUFR 42659); 26 May 2001, Torres (PEUFR 42662); Cabo de Santo Agostinho, Praia de Pedra do Xaréu, 22 Jun. 2001, Gestinari (PEUFR 42666, 42667); Ipojuca, Praia de Serrambi, 26 Apr. 2001, Gestinari & Torres (PEUFR 42670); Bahia: Uruçuca, Praia de Serra Grande, 08 Oct. 1995, Nunes et al. (ALCB 49395; 49394; 34795; 34790); Ilhéus, Praia do Gravatá, 25 Aug. 2000, Nunes et al. (ALCB53340); 09 Feb. 2001, Nunes et al. (ALCB 53337); Cairú, Praia do Morro de São Paulo, 26 Aug. 2000, Nunes et al. (ALCB 49400); Espírito Santo: Serra, Nova Aldeia, Praia da Capuba, 30 Jun. 1992, Guimarães et al. (PEUFR 42672); Arquipélago de Três Ilhas, Ilha de Cambaião, 25 Jan. 2001, Nassar (PEUFR 42673); Vitória, Ilha de Vitória, 17 May 2000, Rodrigues (PEUFR 42674); Praia Mole, 28 Jun. /2003, Nassar (PEUFR 42675); Rio de Janeiro: Cabo Frio, Praia das Conchas, 10 Jan. 2001, Gestinari & Torres (PEUFR 42676); Arraial do Cabo, Prainha, 11 Jan. 2001, Gestinari & Torres (PEUFR 42677); Rio de Janeiro, Prainha, 13 Jun. 2003, Gestinari & Torres (PEUFR 42678); São Paulo: Ilha do Cardoso, Ponta do Itacuruçá, 23 Jun. 1966, Ugadim (SPF 749); Paraná: Paranaguá, Ilha do Mel, 24 Apr.1969, Hatschbach & Guimarães (UPCB 9958); Caiobá, Ilha do Farol, 05 Jun. 2001, Gestinari & Shirata (PEUFR); Santa Catarina: Ilha de Santa Catarina, Praia de Ponta das Canas, 24 May 2001, Gestinari & Ouriques (PEUFR 42680); Rio Grande do Sul: Torres, Torre Sul, 28 May 2001, Gestinari & Baptista (PEUFR 42681).

Comments: Epilithic specimens were collected on boulders and on rocky shores (RJ, ES, PR, SC, RS), tide pools on a sandstone reef plateau (CE), frontal region of sandstones reefs (PB, PE, BA), or as epiphytic on larger seaweeds such as Cladophora prolifera , Dictyopteris delicatula , Chondracanthus acicularis , Gelidiella acerosa (Forsskål) Feldmann & Hamel (1934: 533) , Gelidium pusillum , Cryptonemia seminervis (C.Agardh) Agardh (1846 : pl. XVII), Bryothamnion triquetrum (S.G.Gmelin) Howe (1915: 222) , Digenea simplex and Laurencia sp. Epizoic on Brachydontes sp. shells. Among the accompanying species, we most commonly found Ulva flexuosa , U. lingulata de Candolle in Lamarck & de Candole (1805: 14), Chaetomorpha aerea , Cladophora coelothrix , C. dalmatica , C. ordinata , C. prolifera , C. vagabunda , Bryopsis pennata Lamouroux (1809: 333) , Gelidium pusillum , C entroceras sp., Bryothamnion seaforthii , Acrothamnion butlerae (F.S.Collins) Kylin (1956: 375) , Herposiphonia secunda f. tenella (C. Agardh) Wynne (1985: 173) . Also, it was the host to Entocladia viridis Reinke (1879: 476), Ulvella sp. , Hincksia mitchelliae (Harvey) Silva et al. (1987: 73) , Stylonema alsidii (Zanardini) Drew (1956: 72) , Centroceras sp. , Ceramium brasiliense , C. brevizonatum var. caraibicum , diatoms and cyanobacteria.

The representatives collected along the Brazilian coast presented a slight variation in cell width, and matched descriptions by Hoek (1982) from North Atlantic specimens and Hoek & Womersley (1984) from South Australian specimens; however their apical cells were thicker than the specimens analyzed by Lawson & John (1982) from the west coast of Africa. They also correspond to the descriptions by Kanagawa (1984) from Paraíba and by Yoneshigue (1985) from Cabo Frio (RJ) area, where morphological variations were found according to collection site, as well as the descriptions by Taylor (1960), Ugadim (1973) and Santos (1983) as Cladophora delicatula . C. montagneana is a very common species, being found from Ceará to Rio Grande do Sul. It differs from C. albida by never exhibiting a refract to refract-falcate terminal branch system with distintic acropetal organization. It also differs from C. brasiliana , another narrow species, by having smaller cells. According to Hoek (1982), C. montagneana belongs to the amphiatlantic tropical distribution group, being quite common along the rocky shores of both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, and it extends into the warm-temperate region along the American shores. It is the first record of this species in Ceará, Bahia and Espírito Santo States.

Figures

MAP 1. Distribution map of the species of the genus Cladophora along the Brazilian coast.

FIGURE 2. Species of Cladophora from the coast of Brasil. A–C, C. dalmatica. Detail of the apical region of the thallus (from reef plateau, rocky shore, and reef plateau pool, respectively). D–F, C.montagneana. D,specimen from a reef plateau moderately exposed to wave action showing rounded apical cells; E, basal region of the thallus; F, specimen from an exposed site showing cylindrical apical cells.