Reassessment of the little-known western African red alga Anatheca montagnei (Gigartinales, Solieriaceae) on the basis of morphology and rbcL sequences

Abstract

Vegetative and reproductive structures, including the anatomy of young blades, spermatangia, female reproductive organs, post-fertilization development, and tetrasporangia were examined for the little-known red alga, Anatheca montagnei, from Hann Bay, Dakar, Senegal, western Africa, close to the type locality. Carpogonial branches and auxiliary cells develop on cortical filaments in slightly raised nemathecium-like structures. The fertilized carpogonium produces two unbranched, non-septate connecting filaments. The auxiliary cell is one of the intercalary cortical cells, and, together with the surrounding darkly-staining cortical cells, constitutes an auxiliary cell complex that is visible prior to diploidization. The diploidized auxiliary cell cuts off a single gonimoblast initial, which in turn divides to form a placentate cystocarp without distinct enveloping filaments. The cystocarps are contained in cystocarpic protuberances or papillae that are situated on the surfaces and margins of the female blade. Tetrasporangia are cut off laterally from their parental cells and are zonately divided. The alga is characterized by the above-mentioned combination of features but its position within the Solieriaceae was not demonstrated by our rbcL analyses. © 2005 British Phycological Society.