Afonso-Carrillo, J., M. Chacana & M. Sansón. 1993. Morphology and anatomy of Spongites africanum comb. nov. (Corallinaceae, Rhodophyta) from the Cape Verde Islands. CFS Courier Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg 159: 133-137.On the basis of critical studies on the morphology
and anatomy of the holotype collection and new
material from the Cape Verde Islands, Lithophyllum
africanum FOSLIE (= Porolithon africanum (FOSLIE)
FOSLIE) is transferred to the genus Spongites KUT
ZING. Plants of Spongites africanum (FOSLIE) AFON
SO-CARRILLO, CHACANA & SANSON comb. nov. form
subhemispherical masses, about 10 cm diameter, with
a crustose portion and numerous compressed and confluent erect protuberances. Three of the five characters used to circumscribe Spongites are present in the
holotype of Lithophyllum africanum: cells of contigous filaments interconnected by cell fusions, thallus
composed of numerous layers of cells and normally
over 200 pm thick and thallus devoid of a coaxial
core of filaments. Uniporate tetrasporangial concept
acles and tetrasporangia devoid of apical plugs, are
the only characters not apparent in the holotype, but
its are evident in the material examined from the
Cape Verde Islands

Afonso Carrillo, Julio

Chacana, Max

Sansón Acedo, Marta

Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de La Laguna

- 133 -Frankfurt a. M., 01.07.1993Courier Forsch.- Inst. Senckenberg, 159: 133-137Morphology and Anatomy of Spongites africanum comb. nov.(Corallinaceae, Rhodophyta) from the Cape Verde IslandsJULIO AFONSO-CARRILLO, MAX CHACANA & MARTA SANSON12 FiguresPublished information on the nongeniculate coralline algae (Corallinaceae, Rhodophyta) from the CapeVerde Islands is very scarce and limited to singlerecords of occurrence (DICKIE 1874, 1877; ASKENASY1896; FELDMANN 1946; PRUD'HOMME VAN REINE &LOBIN 1986) or description of new taxa (FOSLIE1908). LEMOINE (1964) compiled data previouslypublished and included new information from herbaria collections housed at Museum d'Histoire Naturelle of Paris. According to LEMOINE (1964) 31 species of nongeniculate coralline algae are present atthis African archipelago. Nevertheless, many CapeVerdean species are poorly known and are in need oftaxonomic revision.In this article, Spongites africanum (FOSLIE)AFONSO-CARRILLO, CHACANA & SANSON comb.nov. isrevised using recent taxonomic criteria (see PENROSE& WOELKERLING 1988; WOELKERING 1988).The species was described by FOSLIE (1900) asLithophyllum africanum after plants from the Westcoast of Africa (Cape Verde, Senegal). It was thenregarded as conspecific with Lithophyllum proboscideum FOSLIE from California (FOSLIE 1897). Laterthis species was transferred from FOSLIE (1909) to thegenus Porolithon (FOSLIE) FOslie and has been recorded from other Eastern Atlantic localities: Morocco (LEMOINE 1911, 1924, 1964; HAMEL & LEMOINE1953), Cape Verde Islands (LEMOINE 1911, 1964;ADEY & LEBEDNIK 1967), São Tomé (PILGER 1919;PRINTZ 1929; ADEY & LEBEDNIK 1967; STEENTOFT1967; LAWSON & JOHN 1987) and Bioko and Cameroun (SCHMIDT & GERLOFF 1957; LAWSON & JOHN1987). Erroneously, LEMOINE (1911) considered Sporotithon africanum (FOSLIE) AFONSO-CARRILLO (asArchaeolithothamnium africanum FOSLIE), a differentspecies only reported from the Canary Islands, asconspecific with Lithophyllum africanum and included the Canary Islands in the distribution of thistaxon (see LEMOINE 1929: 20). According to AFONSOCARRILLO et al. (1985a) L. africanum has not beenreported from the Canary Islands.The present investigation was possible due to thenew collection from the Cape Verde Islands. An investigation of the type material was undertaken withthe purpose of adequately evaluating the characters ofthis taxon and to found the taxonomic implications ofthe findings.Materials and methodsData were obtained from plants collected in theCape Verde Islands and deposited at TFC (Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidad de La Lagu134 -coAna3Listad Mummy. N EXPR50 mm500 pm2 500 um6 100 pmMoonFigs 1-6. Holotype of Lithophyllum africanum. - 1: Holotype collection from TRH. 2: Radial longitudinal fracture of the crust showing the lower portion occupied by a non-coaxial core of filaments. 3: Longitudinal frac7135 -400 μη 8they50 mm400 μm9 10100 pm100 um 50 pm 12Figs 7-12. Spongites africanum from the Cape Verde Islands (TFC Phyc 5294). - 7: Habit. Note crust (C) andprotuberances (P). 8: Radial longitudinal section of the crust. 9: Longitudinal section of protuberance. 10: Surface view of a tetrasporangial conceptacle. Note the ostiole (arrow). 11 and 12: Longitudinal fracture and section of conceptacle showing tetrasporangia.ture of protuberance showing a central core of non-coaxial filaments. 4: Thallus surface showing positions ofgroups of trichocytes (arrows). 5: Fracture of thallus showing a row of trichocytes (arrows). Note fusion (arrowheads) between cells of contiguous filaments. 6: Fracture of thallus showing an empty conceptacle.- 136 -na, Canary Islands) with the number 5294, and thetype collection of Lithophyllum africanum housed atTRH (Trondheim, Norway). Anatomical studies werecarried out on selected fragments fixed in 4% formalin in sea-water, decalcified in Perenyi's solution anembedded in paraffin. Sections, 8 pm thick, were cutand stained in Ehrlich's haematoxylin - eosine (AFONSO-CARRILLO et al. 1984).Scanning electron microscopy procedures are outlined in AFONSO-CARRILLO et al. (1985b). Selecteddried fragments were sectioned with a scalpel andrinsed under distilled water. After air drying, fragments were coated with gold and viewed in a HitachiS-450 Stereoscan Microscope.Results and discussionSpongites africanum (FOSLIE) AFONSO-CARRILLO,CHACANA & SANSON comb.nov.Basionym: Lithophyllum africanum Foslie, K.Norsk. Vidensk. Selsk. Skr., 1900 (1): 1-6, 1900.Syn.: Porolithon africanum (FOSLIE) FOSLIE, K.Norsk. Vidensk. Selsk. Skr., 1909 (2): 1-63.Holotype: Cape Verde (Senegal), leg. HENRIQUES,without date.Description of the holotype: The original collection (Fig. 1) consists of 4 fragments each composedof more or less subhemispherical masses of an extensive branched system of compressed and confluentprotuberances arising from a comparatively inconspicuous crustose portion. The largest fragment is up to90 mm long and 70 mm high; whilst the smallest isup to 50 mm long and 40 mm high.The crustose base is anatomically organized in adorsiventral manner and consists of numerous contiguous filaments derived from a unistratose meristemsituated just beneath of the epithallium (Fig. 2). Thelower portion is occupied by a non-coaxial core offilaments with cells 10-22 um long and 5-10 um diameter. Some filaments or their derivatives curve outwards to form a more peripheral dorsal region withshorter cells, 8-5 um long and 4-5 um diameter (Fig.2). Adjacent filaments are interconnected with cellfusions (Fig. 5). Longitudinal fractures of protuberances (Fig. 3) show a central core of non-coaxial filaments whose distal portions curve towards the thallus surface. Cell dimensions are similar to those described for crustose base.Trichocytes are abundant (Fig. 4), occurring indense, more or less circular groups which apparentlybecame buried as the thallus grew. In fracturesthrough the thallus (Fig. 5), trichocytes appeared tooccur in distinct horizontal rows and are distinguished from other cells by their larger size (15-24 pmlong and 10-24 pm diameter). Only one empty uniporate conceptacle, which has a chamber 216 um indiameter, 86 um high and a roof containing ca. 8layers of cells, was seen (Fig. 6).Cape Verde Islands plants: Spongites africanum iscommon in the lower intertidal zone of Caleta Mosquitos (Santiago) forming adjacent subhemisphericalmasses. Individual plants consist of crustose base, 1-3mm thick, irregular or with various individual lobateor fan-shaped expansions largely free from the substrate up to 40 mm long, with non attenuate margins;and erect protuberances compressed, rarely subterete,3-7 mm thick and up to 60 mm high (Fig. 7). Protuberances are firstly simple, short and wart-like, andlater branched, palmate and variously anastomosing,with obtuse apices (Fig. 7).Crustose base and protuberances show a vegetativeanatomy and cell dimensions similar to previouslydescribed in the holotype (Figs. 8, 9). Uniporate tetrasporangial conceptacles are common on the dorsalsurface of crustose base and laterally on the protuberances. Conceptacles are flat or with a convex roofprotruding only slightly above the surrounding thallussurface (Fig. 10). In section, tetrasporangial conceptacles measure 192-264 um in diameter by 84-120 pmhigh; the chamber is more or less ovoid with a pronounced ostiole (Figs. 11, 12). 6-8 layers of cells arepresent in the conceptacle roof. Ostioles are 30-60um in diameter with a more or less long canal (3672 pm) that projects into the interior of the surrounding cells. Tetrasporangia, 72-96 um long by 3067 pm in diameter, devoid of apical plug. Columellaocasionally observed.Gametangial plants not observed.Three of the five characters used by PENROSE &WOELKERLING (1988) to circumscribe Spongites KUTZING are present in the holotype of Lithophyllum africanum:a) cells of contiguous filaments interconnected bycell fusions;b) thallus composed of numerous layers of cells andnormally over 200 pm thick;c) thallus devoid of a coaxial core of filaments.Uniporate tetrasporangial conceptacles and tetrasporangia devoid of apical plugs, are the only characters not apparent in the holotype. Nevertheless,these characters are evident in the material examinedfrom the Cape Verde Islands and permits the inclusion of this taxon in the genera Spongites.The relationships of S. africanum to other speciesof the genus remain uncertain. S. africanum may berelated with others Spongites species, assigned byFOSLIE (1909) to Porolithon (FOSLIE) FOSLIE, characterized by present erect protuberances and fields oftrichocytes, at least in sporangial plants. P. antillarum(FOSLIE & HOWE) FOSLIE, P. aequinoctiale (FOSLIE)FOSLIE, P. coartatum (FOSLIE) FOSLIE, P. gardineri(FOSLIE) FOSLIE, P. sand vicense (FOSLIE) FOSLIE andP. praetextatum (FOSLIE) FOSLIE belong to this group.Neverthele until comparative studies of all typecollections are undertaken, the relationships of S. alricanum to these taxa are not clear.SummaryOn the basis of critical studies on the morphologyand anatomy of the holotype collection and newmaterial from the Cape Verde Islands, Lithophyllumafricanum FOSLIE (= Porolithon africanum (FOSLIE)FOSLIE) is transferred to the genus Spongites KUTZING. Plants of Spongites africanum (FOSLIE) AFONSO-CARRILLO, CHACANA & SANSON comb. nov. formsubhemispherical masses, about 10 cm diameter, witha crustose portion and numerous compressed and confluent erect protuberances. Three of the five characters used to circumscribe Spongites are present in theholotype of Lithophyllum africanum: cells of contigu137 -ous filaments interconnected by cell fusions, thalluscomposed of numerous layers of cells and normallyover 200 pm thick and thallus devoid of a coaxialcore of filaments. Uniporate tetrasporangial conceptacles and tetrasporangia devoid of apical plugs, arethe only characters not apparent in the holotype, butits are evident in the material examined from theCape Verde Islands.AcknowledgementsThanks are due to Dr. A. BRITO for the collectionof material from the Cape Verde Islands, to Dr. S. SIVERTSEN for the loan of type collection from TRHand to A. PADRON for providing technical assistancewith the electron microscopy.ReferencesADEY, W.H. & LEBEDNIK, P.A. (1967): Catalog of theFOSLIE Herbarium. - 92 pp.; K. Norsk. Vidensk. Selsk. Mus., Trondheim.AFONSO-CARRILLO, J., GIL-RODRIGUEZ, M.C. &WILDPRET DE LA TORRE, W. (1984): Estudiosen la algas Corallinaceae (Rhodophyta) de lasIslas Canarias. I. Aspectos metodológicos.Vieraea, 13: 113-125; Santa Cruz de Tenerife.(1985a): Algunas consideraciones florísticas,corológicas y ecológicas sobre las algas Corallinaceae (Rhodophyta) de las Islas Canarias. -Anales Biol., (2) 2: 23-37; Murcia.AFONSO-CARRILLO, J., GIL-RODRIGUEZ, M.C., HAROUN, R. & WILDPRET DE LA TORRE, W.(1985b): Algunos aspectos de la aplicación dela microscopía electrónica de barrido al estudio de las algas Corallinaceae (Rhodophyta). -Cah. Biol. mar., 25: 427-433; Brest.ASKENASY, E. (1896): Enumération des algues des îlesdu Cap Vert. - Bol. Soc. Brot., 13: 150-175;Coimbra.DICKIE, G. (1874): Enumeration of algae collected atthe Cape Verde Islands by H.N. MOSELEY, M.A., Naturalist to H.M.S. 'Challenger'. - J.Linn. Soc., (Bot.) 14: 344-349; London.(1877): Supplemental notes on algae collectedby H.N. MOSELEY, M.A., of H.M.S.'Challenger' from various localities. - J. Linn.Soc., (Bot.) 15: 486-489, London.FELDMANN, J. (1946): La flore marine des îles atlantides. - Mém. Soc. Biogéogr., 8: 395-435; Paris.FOSLIE, M. (1897): On some Lithothamnia. - K.Norsk. Vidensk. Selsk. Skr., 1897 (1): 1-20;Trondheim.(1900): Five new calcareus algae. - K. Norsk.Vidensk. Selsk. Skr., 1900 (3): 1-6; Trondheim.(1908): Die Lithothamnien der deutschen Südpolar-Expedition 1901-1903. Dt. Südpol.Exped., (B) 8: 205-219, Berlin.(1909): Algologiske notiser. VI. - K. Norsk.Vidensk. Selsk. Skr., 1909 (2): 1-63; Trondheim.HAMEL, G. & LEMOINE, M. (1953): Corallinacées deFrance et d'Afrique du Nord. - Arch. Mus.Hist. nat. Paris., Sér. 7 1: 15-136, pl. 1-23.LAWSON, G.W. & JOHN, D.M. (1987): The marine algae and coastal environment of tropical WestAfrica (2nd ed.). - Beih. Nova Hedwigia, 93:1-415; Vaduz.LEMOINE, P. (1911): Structure anatomique des Mélobésiées. Application à la classification. - Ann.Inst. Océanogr. Monaco, 2 (2): 1-213, pl. 1-5.(1924): Corallinacées du Maroc. - Bull. Soc.Sci. nat. Maroc., 4: 113-134, pl. 1-2; Rabat.(1929): Melobesieae. - In: BORGESEN, Marinealgae from the Canary Islands. III. Rhodophyceae, pp. 19-68. - K. danske Vidensk. Selsk.Biol. Medd., 8 (1): 1-97; Copenhagen.(1964): Contribution à l'étude des mélobésiéesde l'archipel du Cap Vert. - Proc. 4th Int. Seaweed Symp. (Biarritz, 1961): 234-239; Pergamon Press, Oxford, London, N.-Y., Paris.PENROSE, D. & WOELKERLING, W.M.J. (nomic reassessment of Hydrolithon FOSLIE, POrolithon Folie and Pseudolithophyllum LEMOINE (Corallinaceae, Rhodophyta) and theirrelationships to Spongites KUTZING. - Phycologia, 27: 159-176; Oxford.1988): A taxoPILGER, R. (1919): Über Corallinaceae von Annobon.- In: A. ENGLER, Beiträge zur Flora von Afrika. XLVII. - Bot. Jb., 55: 401-435; Leipzig.PRINTZ, H. (ed.) (1929): M. FOSLIE - 'Contributions toM aph of the Lithothamnia'. - 60 pp. +75 pl.; K. Norsk. Vidensk. Selsk. Mus., Trondheim.PRUD'HOMME VAN REINE, W.F. & LOBIN, W. (1986):Katalog der von den Kapverdischen Inseln beschriebenen Taxa von Algen (Algae: Chlorophyceae, Phaeophyceae & Rhodophyceae). -Cour. Forsch.-Inst. Senckenberg, 81: 85-88;Frankfurt a. M.SCHMIDT, O.C. & GERLOFF, J. (1957): Die marine Vegetation Afrikas in ihren Grundzügen dargestellt. - Willdenowia, 1: 709-756; Berlin-Dahlem.STEENTOFT, M. (1967): A revision of the marine algaeof São Tomé and Principe (Gulf of Guinea). -J. Linn. Soc., (Bot.) 60: 99-146, pl. 1-2; London.WOELKERLING, W.M.J. (1988): The Coralline Red Algae: An Analysis of the Genera and Subfamilies of Nongeniculate Corallinaceae: 1-268. -British Musem (Nat. Hist.), London, and Oxford Univ. Press, Oxford.The authors' addressJ. AFONSO-CARRILLO, M. CHACANA & M. SANSON,Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidad deLa Laguna, E-38271 La Laguna, Canary Islands,España.

Morphology and anatomy of Spongites africanum comb. nov. (Corallinaceae, Rhodophyta) from the Cape Verde Islands

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Morphology and anatomy of Spongites africanum comb. nov. (Corallinaceae, Rhodophyta) from the Cape Verde Islands

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