DESCRIPTION OF THE TETRASPORANGIAL CRUSTOSE AND GAMETANGIAL ERECT PHASES OF AHNFELTIOPSIS GIGARTINOIDES (J. AG.) SILVA ET DECEW (RHODOPHYTA, PHYLLOPHORACEAE) IN BAHIA DE BANDERAS, MEXICO
D. Leonalvarez et al., DESCRIPTION OF THE TETRASPORANGIAL CRUSTOSE AND GAMETANGIAL ERECT PHASES OF AHNFELTIOPSIS GIGARTINOIDES (J. AG.) SILVA ET DECEW (RHODOPHYTA, PHYLLOPHORACEAE) IN BAHIA DE BANDERAS, MEXICO, Botanica marina, 40(5), 1997, pp. 397-404
Tetrasporophyte and upright gametophyte thalli of a species collected
in the region of Bahia de Banderas, Mexico are described. Both phases
coincide with those observed in the life history of the genus Ahnfelti
opsis Silva et DeCew (Phyllophoraceae, Rhodophyceae). Crustose thalli
are not identifiable as any of the red crustose non-coralline algae pr
eviously described, although they are similar to Erythrodermis Batters
. The problems of identification of the specimens collected, which bea
r a resemblance to three species reported in Mexico: Ahnfeltiopsis con
cinna (J. Ag.) Silva et DeCew, Ahnfeltiopsis gigartinoides (J. Ag.) Si
lva et DeCew and Ahnfeltia svensonii Taylor, are discussed. It is conc
luded that the plants investigated should be assigned to Ahnfelfiopsis
gigartinoides and that this is the only species of the genus present
in the Mexican tropical Pacific.