Invasive marine red alga introduced to New Zealand waters: First record of Grateloupia turuturu (Halymeniaceae, Rhodophyta)

Abstract

The red alga Grateloupia turuturu is recorded from New Zealand waters for the first time. This species, native to Japan, is considered to be invasive in western Europe, North America, and Tasmania. The occurrence of G. turuturu is confirmed by molecular analysis of chloroplast-encoded rbcL and mitochondrial cox2–3 spacer sequences as well as the vegetative and reproductive anatomy of both tetrasporophyte and gametophyte specimens. © 2007, Copyright Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.