Marine Cyanophytes from the Western Cape, South Africa: Oscillatoriales

Abstract

The survey of the marine Oscillatoriales (Cyanophyceae) from the Western Cape, South Africa led to the identification of forty seven taxa. Thirty one of these are new records for South Africa; seven at the generic level ( Ammatoidea, Arthospira, Blennothrix, Havrela, Jaaginema, Komvophoron and Leibleiniae ), twenty three at the specific level ( Ammatoidea normannii, Arthrospira platensis var. non-constricta, Blennothrix lyngbyacea, Havrela mirabilis, Hydrocoleum coccineum, Jaaginema pseudogeminatum var. unigranulata, Komvophoron crassum, Leibleiniae polysiplzoniae, Limnothrix redekei, Lyngbya cf. margaretheana, Oscillatoria curviceps, O. cf. jenensis, Phormidium cf. cortianum, P. cf. dimorphum, P. cf. jenkelianum, P. laetevirens, P. persicinum, P. cf. subcapitatum, P cf. subuliforme Plectonema golenkinianum, P , cf. puteale, P. terebrans and Spirulina tenerrima ) and one variety ( Oscillatoria subbrevis f. maior ). A variety of substrata were collected along the coast in the study area and most of the cyanophytes studied and described here were found growing on rocks, sand and concrete walls. One endolithic species of cyanophyte is referred to the region.