A new species of Botryocladia (Rhodymeniales, Rhodophyta) from the Galapagos Islands

A deep-water species of Botryocladia, B. darwinii C.W. Schneid. et C.E. Lan e sp. nov., is described based upon sexually reproductive material collecte d off Isla Xarifa in Gardner Bay (vicinity Isla Espanola) in the Galapagos. The new species is a member of the Section Microphysae (large- and few-ves icled species with short stalks), and is most similar to B. senegalensis Fe ldm.-Maz. et M. Bodard from the eastern Atlantic Ocean and B. fernandeziana Levring from Juan Fernandez in the southern Pacific. The relationship of B . darwinii to the recently segregated genus Irvinea Guiry is discussed. (C) 2000 Adac/Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.