Marine Benthic Plants of Western Australia’s Shelf-Edge Atolls

Abstract

One hundred and twenty-one species of marine algae, seagrasses and cyanobacteria are reported from the offshore atolls of northwestern Western Australia (the Rowley Shoals, Scott Reef and Seringapatam Reef). Included are 65 species of Rhodophyta, 40 species of Chlorophyta, nine species of Phaeophyceae, three species of Cyanophyta and four species of seagrasses. This report presents the first detailed account of marine benthic algae from these atolls. Twenty-four species are newly recorded for Western Australia, with four species (Anadyomene wrightii, Rhipilia nigrescens, Ceramium krameri and Zellera tawallina) also newly recorded for Australia.