Benthic macroalgae of the Arabian Sea 1 Benthic macroalgae of the ...

Other algal groups that require a thorough examination are the Chlorophyta, the Nemaliales andthe Rhodymeniales. This research will be executed in collaboration with the respectivelyspecialists: Frederik Leliaert (Chlorophyta; Ghent University, Belgium) and John Huisman(Nemaliales and Rhodymeniales; Murdoch University, Australia). As the phycologicalfieldwork was part of a multidisciplinary study, the coastal areas around the SocotraArchipelago will be analysed for ecological and seasonal patterns using the vegetation relevésand remote sensing data (Rebecca Klaus; Warwick University). The final goal is anextrapolation of these results to other upwelling areas in the Arabian Sea (e.g. Masirah Island).Previous biogeographical studies of the Arabian Sea showed floristic affinities with distantareas, e.g. Australia, Japan and South Africa (Børgesen 1934; Wynne 2000). Our preliminaryresults show floristic affinities with the East African Coast, the Indo-Malayan Region, westernand eastern Australia. These findings fit the hypothesis of Hommersand (1986), whichdemonstrates that ocean currents during the Miocene were determinant for the presentdistribution patterns of the marine macroflora. Prospective research using Phycobase shouldfacilitate an elaborate biogeographical analysis of this stepping stone region in the IndianOcean.ReferencesAbbott I. A. 1985. Vegetative and reproductive morphology in Reticulocaulis gen. nov. andNaccaria hawaiiana sp. nov. (Rhodophyta, Naccariaceae). Journal of Phycology 21: 554-561.Abbott I. A. 1999. Marine red algae of the Hawaiian Islands. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu,Hawai’i. 477 pp.Børgesen F. 1934. Some marine algae from the northern part of the Arabian Sea with remarkson their geographical distribution. Kongelige Danske Videnskabernes Selskab, BiologiskeMeddelelser 11: 72 pp.Hommersand M. H. 1986. The biogeography of the South African marine red algae: a model.Botanica Marina 29: 257-270.Millar A. J. K. & Kraft G. T.. 1984. The red algal genus Acrosymphyton (Dumontiaceae,Cryptonemiales) in Australia. Phycologia 23: 135-145.Schils T. 1999. Macroalgae. In: (Planes S. & Galzin R. eds) Preliminary Report ScientificMission Oman 99, Sultanate of Oman, November - December 1999. Ardoukoba, Paris. 22-23, 64-69 pp.Schils T. 2000. Short Report: Macroalgal assemblages of the Socotra Archipelago, Yemen. In:(Hariri K. I. & Krupp F. eds) Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity of SocotraArchipelago. Marine Habitat, Biodiversity and Fisheries Surveys and management. Reportof Phase IV. Senckenberg Research Institute, Germany. 12 pp. accepted.Schils T. & Coppejans E. Gelatinous red algae of the Arabian Sea, including Platomabibendiforme sp. nov. (Gigartinales, Rhodophyta). submitted.Schils T., De Clerck O. & Coppejans E. Reticulocaulis mucosissimus and R. obpyriformis sp.nov., the first Naccariaceae (Rhodophyta) records for the Indian Ocean. submitted.Wynne M. J. 2000. Further connections between the benthic marine algal floras of the northernArabian Sea and Japan. Phycological Research 48: 211-220.Benthic macroalgae of the Arabian Sea 4