Cystoseira pustulata (Ercegovic) Neiva & Serrao, 2022

Marletta, Giuliana & Lombardo, Andrea, 2023, The Fucales (Ochrophyta, Phaeophyceae) of the Island of Pantelleria (Sicily Channel, Mediterranean Sea): a new contribution, Italian Botanist 15, pp. 137-163 : 137

Cystoseira pustulata (Ercegovic) Neiva & Serrao

Fig. 5A-C

Cystoseira abrotanifolia subsp. pustulata Ercegovic. Basionym.

Cystoseira compressa subsp. pustulata (Ercegovic) Verlaque. Synonym.

Morphology of specimens from Pantelleria.

C. pustulata is a caespitose species, attached to the substrate with a small discoid holdfast. It has smooth apices, and cylindrical, thin and short axes. Primary branches are compressed, almost at the base, while higher order branches are cylindrical and always slender. This species bears protruding cryptostomata, which give it a pustulate habit. During the monitoring, this species was found fertile. The receptacles were borne in the terminal portions of the branches, fusiform in shape, isolated or rarely bifurcated.

Habitat.

This species was found at Punta Spadillo, Cala Tramontana, Cala Levante, Martingana and Kuddie Rosse. It was detected during both snorkelling surveys and scuba dives, from the upper to the middle infralittoral (from 1 to 12 m depth).

Distribution.

According to Neiva et al. (2022), who recently elevated it to species rank, C. pustulata is distributed in the Azores, Canary Islands, Spain, Italy, Malta and Greece.

Remarks.

Some authors previously considered this species conspecific with C. humilis Schousboe ex Kützing. However, Neiva et al. (2022) demonstrated that C. pustulata is an independent species and reported it for Pantelleria. Therefore, we believe that the past records of C. humilis by Giaccone et al. (1972) and Alongi et al. (2004) might actually refer to this new taxon.

Figures

Figure 5. Cystoseira pustulata A, B habit C detail of receptacles.