Reproductive patterns of Caloglossa species (Delesseriaceae, Rhodophyta) from Australia and New Zealand: multiple origins of asexuality in C. leprieurii. Literature review on apomixis, mixed-phase, bisexuality and sexual compatibility

Abstract

SUMMARY Reproduction and life history patterns in culture of five Caloglossa speaes from Australia and New Zealand are compared. Caloglossa adhaerens King et Puttock and Caloglossa bengalensis (Martens) King et Puttock have a Polyslphonla-type sexual life history (P-type, isomorphic alternation of generations). Caloglossa monosticha Kamiya occurs only in Western Australia (WA) and is a P-type. Caloglossa ogasawaraensis Okamura occurs in WA, Northern Territory (NT), Queensland (QLD), New South Wales (NSW), Victoria (VIC) and South Australia (SA) and is for the most part a P-type in culture. A few isolates have bisexual gametophytes that are self-compatible, while most are unisexual. Caloglossa ogasawaraensis from Adelaide, SA and from Wilsons Promontory, VIC are new records for these States. In Australia, Caloglossa postiae (King et Puttock) Kamiya et King occurs in NSW, NT and QLD. All nine isolates are P-type. Isolates of Caloglossa leprieurii (Montagne) G. Martens from NSW, NT, QLD, Tasmania, VIC and New Zealand are P-type except for the freshwater isolates in which tetraspore germlings do not reproduce. In some isolates mixed-phase reproduction is seen with male gametophytes producing both viable spermatia and tetrasporangia and female gametophytes producing procarps and sori with non-dividing sporangia. All isolates of C. leprieurii irom Spencer Gulf and Gulf of St Vincent, SA and one isolate from QLD give rise to successive asexual generations of tetrasporophytes. Based on RuBisCO spacer DNA data an asexual life history has arisen several times in the C. leprieurii complex. The literature on apomixis, mixed-phase reproduction, bisexuality and sexual compatibility in red algae is surveyed.