Laurencia venusta (Ceramiales, Rhodophyta): a new record from the AtlanticOcean

Laurencia venusta Yamada, originally described from the western Pacific Oce an, is recorded for the first time from the Atlantic Ocean. It occurs in Qu intana Roo State, Mexico, which is located on the eastern portion of Yucata n Peninsula, Caribbean Sea. The present species belongs;to the subgenus Lau rencia by-nature of possessing four pericentral cells per vegetative axial segment, secondary pit-connections between superficial cortical cells, and parallel-type arrangement of the tetrasporangia. The principal characterist ics for species identification are: pale green color, soft and flaccid thal li, verticillate branching, and the presence of lenticular thickenings in t he walls of medullary cells.