New record of Hypnea flexicaulis in New Zealand and description of Calliblepharis psammophilus sp. nov.

Abstract

Abstract The genus Hypnea has been known in New Zealand for a long time but identification to species level has been difficult as only fragmentary and sterile material has been available for study and thus the genus has remained poorly known. Recently large amounts of Hypnea were collected in northern New Zealand enabling DNA sequencing and the presence of two species was confirmed: Hypnea flexicaulis which represents a new record for New Zealand, and Hypnea cornuta which was previously known from fragmentary material. Both of these species are regarded as introduced in other regions of the world. The new species described in this paper as Calliblepharis psammophilus was identified in the field as a species of Hypnea but morphological observations and molecular data confirmed it does not belong to this genus. It is characterized by caespitose thalli with irregularly branched terete axes and with tapering or curved tips, the axial cell enclosed by 5–7 pericentral cells, cortical cells packed tightly and not forming “rosettes” in surface view. The gonimoblast filaments originate from a fusion cell and develop outwardly in chains. This species is currently known from a single location in the North Island (south eastern coast), New Zealand.