Algas coralinas no geniculadas (Corallinales, Rhodophyta) en el Pacífico tropical mexicano

Abstract

A DIVERSITY STUDY ON NON-GENICULATE CORALLINE RED ALGAE (CORALLINALES, RHODOPHYTA) WAS CARRIED OUT IN THE MEXICAN TROPICAL PACIFIC COAST (PTM). THE MAIN GOAL OF THIS WORK WAS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE FLORISTIC AND TAXONOMIC KNOWLEDGE OF THE SPECIES OF THIS GROUP; TO DO SO REQUIRED AN ANALYSIS OF THE CRITERIA AND CHARACTERISTICS CURRENTLY IN USE TO DETERMINE THE SUPRASPECIFIC AND SPECIFIC TAXA FOR THIS GEOGRAPHIC ZONE, THEIR VALUE AND UTILITY WAS RE-EVALUATED BASED ON A MODERN VIEW OF THE TAXONOMIC GROUP. SAMPLES FROM 14 SITES WERE ANALYZED, AND A TOTAL OF 11 SPECIES WERE DETERMINED, INCLUDING TWO NEW RECORDS FOR THE PTM, LITHOPHYLLUM FRONDOSUM AND HYDROLITHON RUPESTRE. THE PROBLEMS IN THE DETERMINATION AND RECOGNITION OF SPECIES AND ITS VARIATION IN THE TROPICAL PACIFIC COAST IS DISCUSSED.