Marine red algae from the north coast of Papua New Guinea

The marine benthic red algae of the north coast of Papua New Guinea are doc umented, and 27 of the 151 + species are illustrated. All taxa are listed w ith bibliographic, taxonomic, and biogeographic comments. Only two species are based on type specimens collected from Papua New Guinea (Halymenia durv illei and Chrysymenia kaernbachii). Apart from several new taxa identified in the collections, there are no endemic species known from these shores. A s a result of this survey, Laurencia columellaris Borgesen is transferred t o the genus Chondrophycus, and Eupogodon palmatifidus is transfered to the genus Dasya. The discovery of the Caribbean genus Rhodogorgon constitutes a major range extension as does that of the North Atlantic Nitophyllum punct atum. The deep-water alga Renouxia, also known from the south coast of Papu a New Guinea, is now reported from the north coast, and Polysiphonia polyph ysa is recorded for the first time since its discovery and description in t he 1850s. The marine red algal flora appears to reflect a typical tropical western Pacific component.