Lithophyllum affine (Foslie) Foslie (1898: 9)

Basso, Daniela, Caragnano, Annalisa, Gall, Line Le & Rodondi, Graziella, 2015, The genus Lithophyllum in the north-western Indian Ocean, with description of L. yemenense sp. nov., L. socotraense sp. nov., L. subplicatum comb. et stat. nov., and the resumed L. affine, L. kaiseri, and L. subreduncum (Rhodophyta, Corallinales), Phytotaxa 208 (3), pp. 183-200 : 186-187

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/phytotaxa.208.3.1
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03C43948-EC6C-4927-B3C8-FCCBFD58119D
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Lithophyllum affine (Foslie) Foslie (1898: 9)
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Figures 2–3; Table 2

BASIONYM: Lithothamnion affine Foslie (1897: 13) .

NOMENCLATURAL SYNONYM: Lithothamnion affine f. complanata Foslie ; Lithothamnion affine f. affine Foslie ; Lithophyllum kotschyanum forma affinis (Foslie) Foslie.

LECTOTYPE: TRH, A20-1279 ( Trondheim , Norway) (Fig. 2), (Woelkerling 1993: 21).

FIGURE 2. The lectotype of Lithophyllum affine (Foslie) Foslie in TRH. A) Box A 20-1279 in TRH. B) Thin section 7, part of the lectotype A20-1279. C) The specimen A 20-1279 in TRH, lectotype of L. affine . Note confluent and fused protuberances (arrow).

ETYMOLOGY: the specific epithet refers to the similarity (=affinity) to L. kotschyanum .

ILLUSTRATIONS OF TYPE MATERIAL: Printz, 1929: pl. 65, fig. 10.

TYPE LOCALITY: Massawa, Eritrea, Red Sea, collected by Levander (Woelkerling 1993; Woelkerling et al. 2005: 172–173).

MATERIAL EXAMINED: Red Sea: Eritrea, Massawa, from coral reef, lectotype of L. affine f. affine (leg. Levander: TRH, A 20-1279).

HABITAT AND PHENOLOGY: plants attached to corals, in shallow water (depth of collection unknown).

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION: Lithophyllum affine occurs in the southern Red Sea (Massawa, Eritrea). The occurrence of L. affine outside this area is unknown.

HABIT AND VEGETATIVE STRUCTURE: The lectotype of Lithothamnion affine ( TRH A20-1279 ) is a plant originally attached to a coral, non-endophytic, with fruticose growth-form (Fig. 2 C). The protuberances have a smooth surface, are mostly compressed, branched, up to about 10 mm long. The branches of adjacent protuberances are fused at their tips, forming some superposed, complanate juts (Fig. 2 C). Plant structure pseudoparenchymatous. Basal or ventral layer (= hypothallium) not observed. Peripheral region (= perithallium) composed of cell filaments curving outwards towards the thallus surface, 12–33 μm long and 10–15 μm in diameter ( Fig. 3A–C View FIGURE 3 ). Cells of adjacent filaments joined by secondary pit connections, cell fusions not observed ( Fig. 3B–C View FIGURE 3 ). Palisade cells not observed. Single trichocytes 37–50 μm long and about 12–14 μm in diameter occurring in the perithallium and at the thallus surface ( Fig. 3B View FIGURE 3 ). Single epithallial cells flattened, about 10–13 μm in diameter and 2–3 μm long ( Fig. 3C View FIGURE 3 ; Tab. 2) .

REPRODUCTION: Uniporate tetrasporangial conceptacles slightly protruding or flush over the surrounding thallus surface, with aperture of the pore-canal in the centre of a depression. Chamber 250–280 μm in diameter and 110–130 μm high, with a pore-canal 60–70 μm long. Floor of the conceptacle chamber almost flat. The conceptacle chamber floor is 11 cells below the thallus surface, including the terminal epithallial cell. Roof filaments 5–6 cells long, including the terminal epithallial cell ( Fig. 3D View FIGURE 3 ; Tab. 2). Gametangial and carposporangial conceptacles unknown.

REPRESENTATIVE SEQUENCE: KP696791 (LSU).