First record of scinaia cf. Johnstoniae (nemaliales, rhodophyta) in gwaii haanas, british columbia, canada

Abstract

In July 2019, three unusual red algal specimens field identified as Scinaia interrupta were found in Gwaii Haanas, a marine conservation area and heritage site in the Haida Gwaii archipelago, British Columbia. As one of the authors (GWS) has collected relatively extensively in these waters, the collection of these distinctive specimens was unexpected. The DNA barcode COI-5P was used to assess the field identification and the three individuals were closely allied (0–1 bp difference; 0.15%) in a genetic group that was a close sister (7–9 bp difference; 1.1–1.4%) to an earlier collection from southern British Columbia, and a collection from near the type locality in Brittany, France for specimens assigned to S. interrupta. This observation is consistent with separate introduction events for these two populations in British Columbia, although the story may be more complex. Anatomical observations in the laboratory revealed male structures consistent with the Pacific species Scinaia johnstoniae for which there is regrettably no comparative molecular data. Owing to the typically conservative nature of red algal reproductive features, it would be unusual for two such closely related genetic groups to have such divergent male reproduction. For now, we can report on the discovery of a novel Scinaia sp. in Gwaii Haanas tentatively assigned to Scinaia johnstoniae.