Abstract
Our knowledge of the diversity of African freshwater red algae is rather limited. Only a few reports exist. During our field work in the last five years we frequently encountered freshwater red algae in streams in Rwanda and Madagascar. Here we describe four new species and one new genus of freshwater red algae from the Batrachospermales, based on morphological and molecular evidence: Kumanoa comperei from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda is related to K. montagnei and K. nodiflora; Kumanoa rwandensis from Rwanda is related to K. ambigua and K. gudjewga; Sirodotia masoalensis is related to S. huillensis and S. delicatula; and the new genus and species Ahidranoa madagascariensis from Madagascar is sister to Sirodotia, Lemanea, Batrachospermum s.str. and Tuomeya. There is also evidence for the presence of Sheathia, which was recorded as yet-unidentifiable Chantransia stages. These are among the first new descriptions since 1899 from the African continent and since 1964 from Madagascar. A short history of the exploration of freshwater red algae from Africa and Madagascar is provided. All new taxa are accompanied by illustrations and observations on their ecology.
Highlights
The history of the exploration of freshwater red algae in Africa and Madagascar ‘Very little is known concerning the freshwater algae from Africa’ (West & West 1897)
While interest in the long-neglected group of freshwater red algae has increased in the Northern Hemisphere (e.g., Entwisle et al 2009; Eloranta et al 2011; Vis et al 2012; Knappe & Huth 2014; Salomaki et al 2014), South America (e.g., Necchi 1990; Necchi et al 2010, 2019) and Australia (e.g., Entwisle & Foard 2007; Entwisle et al 2016), there are only limited data available for Africa
The aim of this study is to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships between these taxa based on molecular and morphological evidence, and to characterize the taxa collected in tropical Africa and Madagascar
Summary
The history of the exploration of freshwater red algae in Africa and Madagascar ‘Very little is known concerning the freshwater algae from Africa’ (West & West 1897). This is still true more than 120 years after that statement. The first collection of a freshwater red alga from Africa was made by W. G. Schimper, who collected a Lemanea in 1840 in the Simien Mountains of Ethiopia (‘in latere medio boreali montis Silke’). Schimper, who collected a Lemanea in 1840 in the Simien Mountains of Ethiopia (‘in latere medio boreali montis Silke’) This specimen was subsequently described by Kützing (1849) as Lemanea abyssinica.
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