Cladophora dalmatica Kutzing 1843

4. Cladophora dalmatica Kützing (1843a: 268–269). Map 1; Figs. 2A–C

Thalli delicate, grass-green to pale, measuring (1.5 –) 3.0 (– 4.5) cm high, in some cases reaching 12 cm in height, attached by rhizoids from basal cells, composed of pseudodichotomously and trichotomously to unilateral branching main axes; branches falcate to refract-falcate, apically inserted. Apical cells cylindrical with slightly rounded tips, (30 –) 38 (– 47) µm wide and (129 –) 191 (– 263.5) µm long, with L/W ratio (3 –) 5 (– 7); terminal branch cells measuring (38 –) 47 (– 58) µm wide and (182.5 –) 246 (– 324) µm long, with L/W ratio (4 –) 5 (– 7); main axis cells measuring (81 –) 102 (– 124.5) µm wide and (501 –) 639 (– 834) µm long, with L/W ratio (4.5 –) 6 (– 9). Fertile specimens were collected from Cambaião Island, Três Ilhas Archipelago (Espírito Santo State).

Representative specimens examined: BRAZIL. Piauí: Luís Corrêa, Praia do Coqueiro, 14 May 1999, Batista (PEUFR 30782); Ilha Grande, Praia da Pedra do Sal, 13 Jun 1999, Batista (PEUFR 30784); Ceará: Caucaia, Praia do Pacheco, 17/X/2001, Xavier et al. (PEUFR 42633, 42634); Paraíba: João Pessoa, Ponta do Cabo Branco, 07 Oct. 2002, Gestinari & Kanagawa (PEUFR 42635); Pernambuco: Goiana, Praia de Carne de Vaca, 22 May 2001, Gestinari & Torres (PEUFR 42636); Ipojuca, Praia de Porto de Galinhas, 19 Jul. 2001, Gestinari (PEUFR 42646); Praia de Serrambi, 26 Apr. 2001, Gestinari & Torres (PEUFR 42647); 12 Nov. 2001, Gestinari & Torres (PEUFR 42648); Bahia: Cairú, Praia do Morro de São Paulo, 26 Aug. 2000, Nunes et al. (ALCB 49400); Espírito Santo: Arquipélago de Três Ilhas, Ilha de Cambaião, 25 Jan. 2000, Nassar (PEUFR); Rio de Janeiro: Búzios, Praia Rasa, 09 Jan. /2001, Gestinari & Torres (PEUFR 42649); Cabo Frio, Praia das Conchas, 10 Jan. 2001, Gestinari & Torres (PEUFR 42650, 42651); Rio de Janeiro, Praia do Arpoador, 17 Dec. 2002, Nassar (PEUFR 42652).

Comments: Specimens were collected epilithic on rocky shores (ES, RJ), boulders (PI), sandstone reef plateaus (PE, PB, BA), tide pools (CE), or epiphytic on Avrainvillea longicaulis (Kützing) Murray & Boodle (1889: 70), Sphacelaria tribuloides, Jania adhaerens, Gelidium pusillum (Stackhouse) Le Jolis (1863: 139), Bryothamnion seaforthii and Palisada perforata. Among the accompanying species, we most commonly found Ulva sp., Cladophora coelothrix, C. montagneana, C. vagabunda, Chondracanthus acicularis (Roth) Fredericq in Hommersand et al. (1993: 117), Jania capillacea, Hypnea musciformis, Gelidiopsis variabilis (Grev. ex J. Agardh) Schmitz (1895: 148) and Centroceras sp. Additionally, Cladophora dalmatica was the host to Ulva flexuosa Wulfen (1803: xxii, 1), U. lactuca, Chaetomorpha aerea (Dillwyn) Kützing (1849: 379), Ceramium brasiliense Joly (1957: 148), C. brevizonatum var. caraibicum H.E.Petersen & BΦrgesen in BΦrgesen (1924: 29), Polysiphonia subtilissima Montagne (1840: 199), diatoms and cyanobacteria.

Cladophora dalmatica is morphologically related to C. vagabunda: C. dalmatica has thinner apical cells while C. vagabunda has broader apical cells (Hoek 1982). Although this criterion seems weak, they were considered as distinct species since both can be found under the same environmental conditions where they were collected (CE, PB, PE, BA, ES, RJ). Along the Brazilian coast, C. dalmatica occurs from Piauí littoral to the north of Rio de Janeiro State, being the first record for Ceará, Bahia, Espírito Santo and Rio de Janeiro States. With the exception of the specimens collected from Ceará littoral, in which the apical cells were slightly wider, the apical cells of the representatives studied showed little variation. The studied specimens matched descriptions of species in the Mediterranean and the North Atlantic (Hoek 1963 & 1982) and the coasts of Japan and the Russian Far East (Hoek & Chihara 2000), but were smaller and thinner than those from Africa (Lawson & John 1982). They also matched descriptions of Brazilian specimens (Kanagawa 1984). According to Hoek & Chihara (2000), C. dalmatica is probably a cosmopolitan species which is widely distributed in tropical and warm-temperate waters of both hemispheres, in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans.