A barcode analysis of the genus <i>Lobophora</i> (Dictyotales, Phaeophyceae) in the western Atlantic Ocean with four novel species and the epitypification of <i>L. variegata</i> (J.V. Lamouroux) E.C. Oliveira

In the western Atlantic Ocean, the brown algal genus <i>Lobophora</i> is currently represented by a single species, <i>L. variegata</i>, with a type locality designated by Lamouroux as ‘Antilles’. In this study, we used molecular-assisted alpha taxonomy (MAAT) to assess species diversity of <i>Lobophora</i> in Bermuda, the Florida Keys, St. Croix and Guadeloupe (Lesser Antilles). Using <i>cox</i>1 and <i>cox</i>3 sequences as barcode markers, five species of <i>Lobophora</i>, four of them novel, were delineated, all previously having been identified in the area as <i>L. variegata</i>. Our morphological and habitat studies, made possible by abundant sampling, have revealed unique characters for each of these western Atlantic species, including distinct cellular arrangements, as well as different depth ranges for certain species. Observations made from Lamouroux’s holotype of <i>Dictyota variegata</i> (= <i>Lobophora variegata</i>) allowed us to assess the anatomy of this species, which enabled us to easily align this early taxon to one of our genetic species from the western Atlantic. As the type was unavailable for genetic analysis, we selected a recent St. Croix (Virgin Is., Antilles) specimen as the epitype to support it with molecular sequence data.在西大西洋海域，褐藻属<i>Lobophora</i>目前仅记载有1个物种，即<i>L. variegata</i>，其模式产地由Lamouroux指定为‘安的列斯群岛’。本研究采用分子辅助阿尔法分类学（molecular-assisted alpha taxonomy, MAAT），对百慕大、佛罗里达礁岛群、圣克罗伊岛以及瓜德罗普岛（小安的列斯群岛）的<i>Lobophora</i>物种多样性进行评估。本研究以<i>cox</i>1和<i>cox</i>3基因序列作为条形码标记，共界定出5个<i>Lobophora</i>物种，其中4个为新物种——此前该区域所有样本均被鉴定为<i>L. variegata</i>。依托充足采样材料完成的形态学与生境研究显示，西大西洋的这5个<i>Lobophora</i>物种各具有独特特征，包括独特的细胞排列方式，部分物种还具有特定的分布深度范围。通过对Lamouroux指定的<i>Dictyota variegata</i>（= <i>Lobophora variegata</i>）主模式标本进行观察，我们明确了该物种的解剖结构，从而可将该早期分类群轻松归属于西大西洋的其中一个遗传物种。由于该主模式标本无法用于遗传分析，我们选取了采自安的列斯群岛维尔京群岛圣克罗伊岛的一份新近标本作为附模式标本，为其提供分子序列数据支持。

搜集汇总

背景与挑战

背景概述

该数据集是关于西大西洋褐藻属 Lobophora 的条形码分析研究，使用 cox1 和 cox3 序列作为分子标记，通过分子辅助α分类学（MAAT）方法，在百慕大、佛罗里达群岛、圣克罗伊和瓜德罗普地区识别出五个物种，其中四个为新发现物种。研究结合形态和生境分析，揭示了各物种的独特特征，如细胞排列和深度范围差异，并对历史物种 L. variegata 进行了 epitype 指定以支持分子数据。