Botanica Marina 47 (2004): 251–254  2004 by Walter de Gruyter • Berlin • New York Research note The occurrence of Boodleopsis vaucherioidea Caldero ´ n- Sa ´ enz et Schnetter (Udoteaceae, Chlorophyta) in Brazil Vale ´ ria Cassano 1, *, Luciana V.R. de Brito 2 and Maria Teresa M. de Sze ´ chy 3 1 Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alca ˆ ntara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua Sa ˜ o Francisco Xavier, 524, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20550-013, Brazil, e-mail: vacassano@uerj.br 2 Departamento de Oceanografia, Instituto de Geocie ˆ ncias, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua Sa ˜o Francisco Xavier, 524, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20550-013, Brazil 3 Departamento de Bota ˆ nica, Instituto de Biologia, Centro de Cie ˆ ncias da Sau ´ de, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Cidade Universita ´ ria, Ilha do Funda ˜ o, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-590, Brazil *Corresponding author Abstract Up to the present time, Boodleopsis (Udoteaceae, Chlo- rophyta) has been represented on the Brazilian coast by Boodleopsis pusilla only. This study describes B. vauch- erioidea from the southern coast of Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. Non-fertile plants were collected in April, June and November 2000, and January 2003, and then compared with the holotype from the Colombian Caribbean Sea. Considering field and cultured plants, the Brazilian spec- imens were identified as B. vaucherioidea, and distin- guished from B. pusilla by the upright filaments without constrictions above the forks, and their divaricate bran- chlets. This is the first record of B. vaucherioidea for the south Atlantic Ocean. Keywords: Boodleopsis; Brazil; Chlorophyta; geographic distribution; taxonomy. Introduction Boodleopsis species are found in mangrove areas and, on rocky shores (Taylor et al. 1953), from the supralittoral region (Caldero ´ n-Sa ´ enz and Schnetter 1989) to the sub- littoral region (Schneider and Searles 1991, Littler and Lit- tler 2000). Among the six species that have been described, Boodleopsis pusilla (Collins) W.R. Taylor, Joly et Bernatowicz, B. siphonacea A. Gepp et E.S. Gepp, B. vaucherioidea Caldero ´ n-Sa ´ enz et Schnetter and B. ver- ticillata E.Y. Dawson are distinct species; however, B. carolinensis Trono and B. hawaiiensis Gilbert do not show clear diagnostic characteristics (Caldero ´ n-Sa ´ enz and Schnetter 1989). Up to the present time, only a single species has been known for the Brazilian coast, B. pus- illa, which is distributed from Amapa ´ , northern Brazil (Paula et al. 1989) to Santa Catarina, southern Brazil (Hadlich 1984). The aim of this study is to describe the specimens of Boodleopsis vaucherioidea collected in Ilha Grande Bay, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, and to compare them with the type material. Phenotypic plasticity of mor- phological characteristics used as specific taxonomical criteria was analyzed, based on comparisons between field and cultured plants. Materials and methods Plants were collected in two localities in Ilha Grande Bay, southern coast of Rio de Janeiro State: 1) Praia do Leme (238039140S; 448149400W), Ponta Leste, Monsuaba, Angra dos Reis; 2) Saco do Ce ´u (238069500S; 448149400W), Ilha Grande. Plants collected in April, June and November 2000 were fixed in 4% formalin solution. A mat of the species, about 3 cm in diameter, formed by numerous entangled filaments, was scraped from the rocky substratum at Praia do Leme in January 2003 and carried to the laboratory in an aerated container. This mat was maintained in culture for three months in the following conditions: 24 "18C; photon irradiance of 30 "3 mmol m y2 s y1 (20 W fluorescent tubes); 12:12 h photoperiod; PES enriched medium (Provasoli 1968) pre- pared with filtered seawater (Millipore 0.45 mm) adjusted to 34 "1 psu. The culture medium was renewed at inter- vals of one week. Plants were grown in 250 ml Erlen- meyers flasks, not aerated, containing 100 ml of enriched seawater. Photographs were taken using an Optronics video camera (Optronics, Goleta, USA) attached to an Olympus microscope (BX40, Olympus, Tokyo, Japan). Herbarium abbreviations follow the on-line Index Herba- riorum (http://www.nybg.org/bsci/ih/ih.html). Results and discussion Analyzed material Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Ilha Grande Bay, Angra dos Reis, Monsuaba, Ponta Leste, Praia do Leme, 19-iv-2000, leg. M.T.M. de Sze ´ chy, L.R.V. de Brito and V. Cassano (HRJ); 16-vi-2000, leg. M.T.M. de Sze ´ chy, L.R.V. de Brito and V. Cassano (HRJ); 09-i-2003, cultured material, leg. M.T.M. de Sze ´ chy (HRJ); Ilha Grande, Saco do Ce ´ u, 09- xi-2000, leg. V. Cassano, M.T.M. de Sze ´ chy and J.C. De- Paula (HRJ). Holotype: Colombia, Caribbean Sea, Cartagena Bay, Tierrabomba, wet preserved material of Brought to you by | Universidade de São Paulo Authenticated | 143.107.247.159 Download Date | 2/22/13 2:02 PM