Morphological observation and rbcL gene sequences studies of two new species, Grateloupia dalianensis H.W.Wang et D.Zhao, sp. nov. and G. yinggehaiensis H.W.Wang et R.X.Luan, sp. nov. (Halymeniaceae, Rhodophyta) from China

A few species in the genus Grateloupia (Halymeniaceae, Rhodophyta) have been investigated in detail with respect to morphological observations and molecular analyses. In this study, the authors document the vegetative and reproductive structures of two new species of Grateloupia, G. dalianensis H.W.Wang et D.Zhao, sp.nov. and G. yinggehaiensis H.W.Wang et R.X.Luan, sp.nov. They both have the morphological character that carpogonial ampullae and auxiliary cell ampullae are the simple Grateloupia-type. The two species can be distinguished from other species of the genus by their distinctive morphological features respectively. Based on ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (rbcL) gene sequences, the phylogenetic tree obtained in the study indicated that they are both embedded within the Grateloupia clade. G. dalianensis clusters a subclade with G. asiatica, and G. yinggehaiensis forms a single monophyletic subclade with G. hawaiiana.