Kappaphycus Doty, 1988

Holotype species: Kappaphycus alvarezii (Doty) L.M.Liao

Original publication and holotype designation: Doty, M.S. (1988). Podromus ad systematica Eucheumatoideorum: a tribe of commercial seaweeds related to Eucheuma (Solieriaceae, Gigartinales). In: Taxonomy of economic seaweeds with reference to some Pacific and Caribbean species. (Abbott, I.A. Eds) Vol.2, pp. 159-207. La Jolla: California Sea Grant College Program [Report T-CSGCP-018].

Description: Plants of the largest species can reach over 100 cm in length. Thalli are fleshy and range from terete to foliose and are erect from a single crustose base or a tangle of basal axes anchored at several points. Some are compressed, linear to encrusting, and mostly prostrate. Axes are multiaxial and may contain a central medulla of isodiametric cells mixed with rhizoids, although some species are pseudoparenchymatous throughout, the medullary cells being a mixture of large and small cells and in some cases bearing varying numbers of distinctive outpocketings termed "tyloses" (Kraft 1969). Early reproductive stages have not been detailed, but appear to resemble those of Eucheuma, the mature cystocarps tending to form directly on the axes rather than on short laterals or spines and being constructed of a central fusion cell surrounded by radiating carposporangial gonimoblasts and sterile gonimoblasts, the latter communicating with the surrounding filamentous hull. All members of the genus produce kappa carrageenan (Santos 1989).

Information contributed by: G.T. Kraft. The most recent alteration to this page was made on 2011-08-30 by M.D. Guiry.

Taxonomic status: This name is of an entity that is currently accepted taxonomically.

Most recent taxonomic treatment adopted: Schneider, C.W. & Wynne, M.J. (2007). A synoptic review of the classification of red algal genera a half a century after Kylin's "Die Gattungen der Rhodophyceen". Botanica Marina 50: 197-249.

Comments: Distribution: The type species occurs naturally in the Sulu Sea and the Sulu Archipelago, although it has been naturalized in several western and central Pacific localities for purposes of farming. Other species are recorded from east Africa, Indonesia, Malaysia, Hainan Island, the Philippines and Micronesia.

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Contributors
Some of the descriptions included in AlgaeBase were originally from the unpublished Encyclopedia of Algal Genera, organised in the 1990s by Dr Bruce Parker on behalf of the Phycological Society of America (PSA) and intended to be published in CD format. These AlgaeBase descriptions are now being continually updated, and each current contributor is identified above. The PSA and AlgaeBase warmly acknowledge the generosity of all past and present contributors and particularly the work of Dr Parker.

Descriptions of chrysophyte genera were subsequently published in J. Kristiansen & H.R. Preisig (eds.). 2001. Encyclopedia of Chrysophyte Genera. Bibliotheca Phycologica 110: 1-260.

Linking to this page: https://www.algaebase.org/search/genus/detail/?genus_id=35125

Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
M.D. Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 30 August 2011. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 03 December 2024