Cindy Fernández-García

Species Diversity, Phylogeny and Large Scale Biogeographic Patterns of the Genus Padina (Phaeophyceae, Dictyotales)

The brown algal genus Padina (Dictyotales, Phaeophyceae) is distributed worldwide in tropical and temperate seas. Global species diversity and distribution ranges, however, remain largely unknown. Species‐level diversity was reassessed using DNA‐based, algorithmic species delineation techniques based on cox3 and rbcL sequence data from 221 specimens collected worldwide. This resulted in estimates ranging from 39 to 61 putative species (ESUs), depending on the technique as well as the locus. We discuss the merits, potential pitfalls, and evolutionary and biogeographic significance of algorithmic species delineation. We unveil patterns whereby ESUs are in all but one case restricted to either the Atlantic or Indo‐Pacific Ocean. Within ocean basins we find evidence for the vast majority of ESUs to be confined to a single marine realm. Exceptions, whereby ESUs span up to three realms, are located in the Indo‐Pacific Ocean. Patterns of range‐restricted species likely arise by repeated founder events and subsequent peripatric speciation, hypothesized to dominate speciation mechanisms for coastal marine organisms in the Indo‐Pacific. Using a three‐gene (cox3, psaA and rbcL), relaxed molecular clock phylogenetic analysis we estimated divergence times, providing a historical framework to interpret biogeographic patterns.

Taxonomy of the Dictyota ciliolata-crenulata complex (Dictyotales, Phaeophyceae)

Tronholm A., Afonso-Carrillo J., Sansón M., Leliaert F., Fernández-García C., and De Clerck O. 2013. Taxonomy of the Dictyota ciliolata–crenulata complex (Dictyotales, Phaeophyceae). Phycologia 52: 171–181. DOI: 10.2216/12-005.1 We reassessed the taxonomy of dentate Dictyota species formerly attributed to D. ciliolata and D. crenulata. Both taxa have long been assumed to be broadly distributed in tropical to warm-temperate seas. Recent molecular data, however, provided evidence that D. crenulata constituted a complex of at least four species with restricted geographical distributions. Based on those results and careful morphological examination, we split D. crenulata sensu lato into D. crenulata sensu stricto restricted to Pacific Central America, D. jamaicensis with a tropical amphi-Atlantic distribution and D. canariensis and D. pleiacantha sp. nov. from Macaronesia. Morphological analysis showed that these species were distinguished by subtle morphological differences. In contrast to D. crenulata sensu lato, the wide tropical distribution of D. ciliolata was confirmed by DNA data. In addition, psbA sequence analysis did not provide evidence to segregate D. menstrualis and D. plectens from D. ciliolata.

Marine Biodiversity of Eastern Tropical Pacific Coral Reefs

The eastern tropical Pacific (ETP) is an isolated oceanic region exposed to extreme oceanographic conditions, including low salinity, low pH, high temperatures during El Nino, and low temperatures during La Nina and seasonal upwelling. The coral reefs in this region have a relatively limited suite of species compared to other coral reef areas of the world, but much like more diverse reefs the species present interact in complex ways. Here we synthezise the knowledge of taxonomic groups of reef organisms from prokaryotes to vertebrates, including algae, sponges, cnidarians, annelids and other worms, molluscs, crustaceans, echinoderms and fishes. We also present summaries on the biodiversity of associated functional groups and habitats, including (a) reef zooplankton and cryptic fauna, and (b) soft benthic environments, rhodolith beds and mesophotic environments. Several factors that structure the biodiversity of ETP coral reefs are explored, including biological, physical and chemical controls. ETP coral reefs are relatively simple systems that can be used as models for studying biodiversity and interactions among species. We conclude this review by highlighting pressing research needs, from very basic inventories to more sophisticated studies of cryptic assemblages, and to investigations on the impacts of natural and anthropogenic effects on ETP coral reef biodiversity.