Abstract
The life history of the red alga Rhodophysema elegans (J. Ag.) Dixon (Peyssoneliaceae: Cryptonemiales), which was commonly found at 4 localities on the south coast of England, has been investigated in laboratory culture. Tetraspores (the only reproductive organs observed) which were derived from field material germinated to repeat the parental tetrasporangiate phase. Sexual reproductive organs were not observed. It is suggested that the probable cause of this “direct” type of life history is the occurrence of apomeiosis in the sporangial primordium.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature Cited
Boillot, A.: Sur l'alternance de générations hétéromorphes d'une rhodophycée, Halarachnion ligulatum (Woodward) Kützing (Gigartinales, Furcellariacées). C.r.hebd.Séanc. Acad. Sci., Paris 261, 4191–4193 (1965)
Dixon, P.S.: The Rhodophyta: some aspects of their biology. Oceanogr. mar. Biol. A. Rev. 1, 177–196 (1963)
—: Biology of the Rhodophyta, xiii+285 pp. Edinburgh: Oliver & Boyd 1973
—, S.N. Murray, W.N. Richardson and J.L. Scott: Life history studies in genera of the Cryptonemiales. Mém. Soc. bot. Fr. 1972, 323–332 (1972)
Edelstein, T.: The life history of Gloiosiphonia capillaris (Hudson) Carmichael. Phycologia 9, 55–59 (1970)
Farnham, W.F. and R.L. Fletcher: The occurrence of a Porphyrodiscus simulans Batt. phase in the life history of Ahnfeltia plicata (Huds.) Fries. Br. phycol. J. 11, 183–190 (1976)
Fletcher, R.L.: The life history of Rhodophysema georgii in laboratory culture. Mar. Biol. 31, 299–304 (1975)
—: Post-germination attachment mechanisms in marine fouling algae. In: Proceedings of the Third International Symposium on Biodegradation, Kingston, Rhode Island, 17–23 August, 1975, pp 443–464. Ed. by J.M. Sharply and A. M. Kaplan. London: Applied Science Publishers Ltd. 1976
Fletcher, R.L.: Observations on the ecology and life history of Ralfsia spongiocarpa Batt. Proc. int. Seaweed Symp. 8 (In press)
Ganesan, E.K. and J.A. West: Culture studies on the marine red alga Rhodophysema elegans (Cryptonemiales, Peysonneliaceae). Phycologia 14, 161–166 (1975)
Kylin, H.: Die Rhodophyceen der schwedischen Westküste. Acta Univ. lund. (N.F. Avd.) 240 (2), 1–104 (1944)
Linskens, H.F.: Adhäsion von Fortpflanzungszellen benthonischer Algen. Planta 68, 99–110 (1966)
Lund, S.: The marine algae of East Greenland, I. Taxonomical part. Meddr Grønland 156, 1–247 (1959)
Masuda, M. and M. Ohta: The life history of Rhodophysema georgii Batters (Rhodophyta, Cryptonemiales). J. Jap. Bot. 50, 1–10 (1975)
Newton, L.: A handbook of the British seaweeds, xiii+478 pp. London: British Museum (Natural History) 1931
Norris, R.E. and J.A. West: Notes on marine algae of Washington and southern British Columbia. Madroño 18, 176–178 (1966)
Parke, M. and P.S. Dixon: Check-list of British marine algae,-third revision. J. mar. biol. Ass. U.K. 56, 527–594 (1976)
Richardson, W.N. and P.S. Dixon: Culture studies on Thuretellopsis peggiana Kylin. J. Phycol. 6, 154–159 (1970)
Rosenvinge, L.K.: On the marine algae from northeast Greenland. Meddr Grønland 43, 93–133 (1910)
—: The marine algae of Denmark. Contributions to their natural history. Part II, Rhodophyceae II (Cryptonemiales). K. danske Vidensk. Selsk. Skr. 7, 153–284 (1917)
Smith, G.M.: Marine algae of the Monterey Peninsula, California, vii+622 pp., 98 pls. Stanford: Stanford University Press 1944
South, G.R. and A. Cardinal: A check-list of marine algae of eastern Canada. Can. J. Bot. 48, 2077–2095 (1970)
—, R.G. Hooper and L.M. Irvine: The life-history of Turnerella pennyi (Harv.) Schmitz. Br. phycol. J. 7, 221–233 (1972)
Stosch, H.A. von: Wirkungen von Jod und Arsenit auf Meeresalgen in Kultur. Proc. int. Seaweed Symp. 4, 142–150 (1964)
Sundene, O.: Reproduction and morphology in strains of Antithamnion boreale originating from Spitzbergen and Scandinavia. Skr. norske Vidensk-Akad. (Mat.-naturv. Kl.) 5, 1–19 (1962)
Suneson, S.: The cytology of bispore formation in two species of Lithophyllum and the significance of the bispore in the Corallinaceae. Bot. Notiser 1950, 429–450 (1950)
Taylor, W.R.: Marine algae of the North Eastern Coast of North America, 2nd ed. vii+509 pp, 60 pls. Ann. Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan Press 1957
Umezaki, I.: The germination of tetraspores of Hildenbrandia prototypus Nardo and its life history. J. Jap. Bot. 44, 17–28 (1969)
West, J.A.: The life history of Rhodochorton concrescens in culture. Br. phycol. J. 5, 179–186 (1970)
—: The life history of Petrocelis franciscana. Br. phycol. J. 7, 299–308 (1972)
West, J.A.: The life history of Rhodochorton membranaceum, an endozoic red alga. Proc. int. Seaweed Symp. 8 (In press)
— and R.E. Norris: Unusual phenomena in the life histories of Florideae in culture. J. Phycol. 2, 54–57 (1966)
Yendo, K.: Notes on algae new to Japan, III. Bot. Mag., Tokyo 29, p. 116 (1915)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Communicated by J.H.S. Blaxter, Oban
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Fletcher, R.L. Studies on the life history of Rhodophysema elegans in laboratory culture. Mar. Biol. 40, 291–297 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00395720
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00395720