Shigeo Kawaguchi

Reinstatement of Grateloupia catenata (Rhodophyta, Halymeniaceae) on the basis of morphology and rbcL sequences

Abstract Morphological observations and molecular analysis of a red alga, which has been known as Grateloupia filicina var. lomentaria, G. filicina var. porracea f. lomentaria, or Sinotubimorpha porracea (Cryptonemiales, Halymeniaceae) in the western Pacific, were made for field-collected and cultured plants. The auxiliary-cell ampullae lack tertiary filaments and are of the Grateloupia-type. Morphologically, this alga can be distinguished from G. filicina by (1) the hollow axis; (2) the numerous short proliferations with Lomentaria-like constrictions that densely cover the surface of erect axes in mature plants; and (3) a tendency for reproductive structures to be restricted to the proliferations. The presence of 4.2–4.6% (62–67 bp) nucleotide substitutions in the ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase gene (rbcL) between G. filicina and the alga in question also strongly supports the differentiation of these two entities at the species level. The form of the proliferations distinguishes the alga in question from the West Indies G. porracea. Re-examination of type material of Grateloupia catenata Yendo, which has been placed into synonymy under Grateloupia filicina var. porracea f. lomentaria, revealed that our freshly collected specimens matched it, and therefore the Yendo name is reinstated. The topological position of Grateloupia catenata in rbcL trees does not support its separation from other Grateloupia species at the generic rank.

Inhibitory activity of brown algal phlorotannins against glycosidases from the viscera of the turban shell Turbo cornutus

The crude phlorotannins from the brown alga Eisenia bicyclis showed inhibitory activity against 10 of 13 kinds of glycosidases present in the viscera of the turban shell Turbo cornutus. Phloroglucinol and its oligomers – eckol (a trimer), phlorofucofuroeckol A (a pentamer), dieckol and 8,8′-bieckol (hexamers), and an unidentified tetramer – were isolated from the crude phlorotannins by column and thin-layer chromatography. Phlorofucofuroeckol A, dieckol and 8,8′-bieckol inhibited α-fucosidase, β-galactosidase and β-mannosidase partially purified from T. cornutus, while phloroglucinol, eckol and the unidentified tetramer were weakly active. Dieckol was a competitive inhibitor of α-fucosidase with an inhibition constant (K i) of 0.12 mM. The amounts of phlorotannins released after the immersion of freshly collected E. bicyclis in seawater or deionized water were estimated by high-performance liquid chromatography. Nearly all the phlorotannins were exuded into the medium following the death of the algae, whereas no phlorotannins were detected in the medium of living algae. These findings indicate that the phlorotannins deter the feeding of marine herbivorous gastropods by inhibiting the glycosidases.

A comparative study of the red alga Grateloupia filicina (Halymeniaceae) from the Northwestern Pacific and Mediterranean with the description of Grateloupia asiatica, sp. nov.

Morphological observations and molecular analyses of the red alga Grateloupia filicina (Halymeniaceae) from two geographically distant regions, eastern Asia (Japan and northern China) in the northwestern Pacific and Italy in the Mediterranean, reveal the presence of two distinct entities. Morphologically, the eastern Asian entity differs substantially from the Italian entity in the following ways: 1) thin and soft thalli with wider axes, 2) denser medullary filaments, 3) scattered reproductive structures over the entire thallus, and 4) a mature auxiliary cell that is oval and slightly larger than other ampullary cells. Phylogenetic analysis based on the ribulose‐1,5‐bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase gene (rbcL) sequences revealed that the eastern Asian and Italian entities are phylogenetically far apart, strongly supporting the differentiation of these two entities at the species level. The eastern Asian entity is therefore described as a new species, Grateloupia asiatica. This species can be distinguished from most known species of Grateloupia that have widely flattened thalli by its compressed to narrowly flattened axes with numerous pinnate proliferations and from a few species with similar thalli by a particular combination of features, including a gelatinous texture, mostly simple and narrower axes, a thinner cortex, and the absence of catenate proliferations.

Reinstatement of Grateloupia subpectinata (Rhodophyta, Halymeniaceae) based on morphology and rbcL sequences

Morphological observations and molecular analyses of the north‐western Pacific species of the red algal genus Grateloupia (Halymeniaceae) indicate the presence of an entity, which is somewhat similar in gross morphology to G. asiatica Kawaguchi et Wang but is distinguished from the latter species by some morphological features. These include: (i) a somewhat fleshy texture; (ii) wider and much thicker (4.5–10 mm wide and up to 1300 μm thick) axes, of which an inner cortex consists of more (6–9) cells; (iii) generally longer (up to 17 cm), marginal and surface proliferations that are clearly constricted (terete) at bases; and (iv) much elongated, oblong auxiliary cells. Phylogenetic analysis using the ribulose‐l,5‐bisphosphate carboxylase/ oxygenase (rbcL) gene of G. asiatica and the alga in question shows them to be distantly related and strongly supports the differentiation of these two entities at the species level. Judging from the literature, this entity is actually Grateloupia subpectinata Holmes, which has been placed into synonymy under G. asiatica [as G. filicina (Lamouroux) C. Agardh] or G. prolongata J. Agardh in previous reports, and therefore the Holmes name is reinstated.

A morphological and molecular assessment of the genus Prionitis J. Agardh (Halymeniaceae, Rhodophyta)

A critical reassessment of the morphological features of two closely related red algal genera, Grateloupia C. Agardh and Prionitis J. Agardh (Halymeniaceae), shows that members of the two genera share very similar reproductive (including the Grateloupia‐type auxiliary‐cell ampullae) and vegetative characters. Diagnostic features hitherto used for distinguishing these two genera, the texture of blades (lubricous to leathery in Grateloupia vs cartilaginous in Prionitis) and the position of reproductive structures (scattered over the entire blade in Grateloupia vs confined to particular portions of the blade in Prionitis), are continuous across some 75 species of both genera, thus making it difficult to draw a clear‐cut distinction between the two genera. In ribulose‐1,5‐bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase gene (rbcL) sequence analyses, the species of Grateloupia and Prionitis, including the two generitypes, constitute a large monophyletic clade in the Halymeniaceae. It is therefore proposed that Prionitis be included in the synonymy under Grateloupia and the appropriate combinations are proposed.

Rejection of Sinkoraena and transfer of some species of Carpopeltis and Sinkoraena to Polyopes (Rhodophyta, Halymeniaceae)

Abstract Three red algal species of the Halymeniaceae from Japan, Carpopeltis affinis, C. prolifera and Polyopes polyideoides, all have frequently branched, bushy auxiliary-cell ampullae of the Aeodes type, with a cup-shaped outline. The auxiliary-cell ampullae are similar to those of the generitypes of Polyopes and Sinkoraena, P. constrictus and S. lancifolia. In ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase gene sequence analysis, the five species of Carpopeltis, Polyopes and Sinkoraena, together with another species of Sinkoraena, S. tasmanica form a distinct and monophyletic clade (with high bootstrap support) in the Halymeniaceae. Carpopeltis affinis and C. prolifera are therefore transferred to Polyopes as P. affinis (Harvey) Kawaguchi & Wang, comb. nov. and P. prolifer (Hariot) Kawaguchi & Wang, comb. nov. The genus Sinkoraena is congeneric with Polyopes, and S. lancifolia and S. tasmanica are transferred to Polyopes as P. lancifolius (Harvey) Kawaguchi & Wang, comb. nov. and P. tasmanicus (Womersley & J.A. Lewis) Kawaguchi & J.A. Lewis, comb. nov.

Taxonomic notes on marine algae from Malaysia. VI. Five species of Ceramiales (Rhodophyceae)

Abstract Five species of the red algal order Ceramiales are reported from Malaysia for the first time, and their characteristic features are described: three species of Hypoglossum (Delesseriaceae), H. rhizophorum Ballantine et Wynne, H. caloglossoides Wynne et Kraft and H. simulans Wynne, Price et Ballantine, and two species of Rhodomelaceae, Laurencia caduciramulosa Masuda et Kawaguchi and Neosiphonia savatieri (Hariot) M. S. Kim et I. K. Lee. Small deciduous branchlets of Laurencia caduciramulosa are documented to be genuine propagules.

Taxonomic notes on the Halymeniaceae (Gigartinales, Rhodophyta) from Japan. III. Synonymization of Pachymeniopsis Yamada in Kawabata with Grateloupia C. Agardh

The taxonomic status of the red algal genus Pachymeniopsis (Halymeniaceae) was evaluated based on a morphological study of the type species Pachymeniopsis lanceolata (Okamura) Yamada in Kawabata (=Aeodes lanceolata Okamura). Features used to separate Pachymeniopsis from allied genera such as Aeodes or Grateloupia were found to be inconsistently expressed within even single populations, and P. lanceolata is considered to be best placed in Grateloupia. The two remaining species, P. yendoi and P. elliptica, are judged to be conspecific, with P. elliptica also best placed in Grateloupia. The genus Pachymeniopsis is, therefore, considered synonymous with Grateloupia. The transfer of P. lanceolata to Grateloupia is proposed as Grateloupia lanceolata (Okamura) Kawaguchi, comb. nov. The reinstatement of Grateloupia elliptica Holmes, which includes Pachymeniopsis yendoi as a synonym, is also proposed.

The new genus Yonagunia Kawaguchi et Masuda (Halymeniaceae, Rhodophyta), based on Y. Tenuifolia Kawaguchi et Masuda sp. nov. from southern Japan and including Y. formosana (Okamura) Kawaguchi et Masuda comb. nov. from southeast Asia

Yonagunia Kawaguchi et Masuda, gen. nov. (Halymeniaceae, Rhodophyta) is proposed to accommodate a new species, Yonagunia tenuifolia Kawaguchi et Masuda and the species currently known as Prionitis formosana (Okamura) Kawaguchi et Nguyen. Based on auxiliary cell ampullar features, Yonagunia is included in the group of genera with the simplest type of ampulla (the Grateloupia type) that comprises Dermocorynus, Grateloupia, Kintokiocolax, Phyllymenia, and Zymurgia. However, Yonagunia differs from these genera in the behavior of cells in the ampullar filaments immediately after diploidization, most cells of the primary and secondary filaments simultaneously dividing to form grape‐like clusters of small globular cells that subsequently elongate and produce involucral filaments to laxly surround the maturing carposporophyte. Yonagunia is resolved by our rbcL gene sequence analyses as one of five monophyletic clades within the Halymeniaceae (an Aeodes/Pachymenia, a Polyopes, a Carpopertis/Cryptonemia/Halymenia, a Yonagunia, and a Grateloupia clade) that is positioned as sister to the Grateloupia clade. Carpogonial branch apparatuses are identified as a potential taxonomic significance on the same level as auxiliary cell ampullae.

Cultivation of Grateloupia acuminata (Halymeniaceae, Rhodophyta) by regeneration from cut fragments of basal crusts and upright thalli

Regeneration of Grateloupia acuminata Okamura from fragments of basal crusts and young upright thalli was studied in culture. The carpospores and tetraspores develop into basal crusts and these in turn produce upright thalli. When the crusts and the young upright thalli were cut into fragments, the fragments of basal crusts regenerated into new crusts, whereas those of upright thalli formed adventitious filaments. For cultivation in the sea, the cut fragments of basal crusts were inoculated onto oyster shells and synthetic twines of Nori-net and cultured for about one month in the laboratory. The oyster shells and the twines with regenerated crusts were then transferred into the sea from September to December. Many upright thalli developed and grew well during the cold season of the year (December to March).