Lessonia nigrescens Bory 1826

Publication Details
Lessonia nigrescens Bory 1826: 322

Published in: B[ory de Saint-Vincent, J.B.G.M.] (1826). Lessonie. Lessonia. In: Dictionnaire Classique d'Histoire Naturelle. (Audouin, I. et al. Eds) Vol. 9, pp. 321-322. Paris: Rey et Gravier; Baudouin Frères.

Request PDF

Type Species
The type species (holotype) of the genus Lessonia is Lessonia flavicans Bory.

Status of Name
This name is of an entity that is currently accepted taxonomically.

Type Information
Type locality: Cape Horn, in the Chilean part of Fuegia, Chile; (Cho & al. 2006: 1293) Lectotype: CN; (Searles 1978: 368, fig. 5) Notes: Isotypes: C 73/74 no. 22-1: L No. 2154 (Searles 1978) = isolectotypes/syntypes ? See Arsensi & de Reviers (2009: 228, 233) for comments on the lectotype. Isolectotypes: PC0062751, PC0062752.

Origin of Species Name
Participle (Latin), becoming black (Stearn 1983).

General Environment
This is a marine species.

Created: 08 September 1998 by M.D. Guiry.

Last updated: 16 December 2023

Verification of Data
Users are responsible for verifying the accuracy of information before use, as noted on the website Content page.

Taxonomic notes
According to Asensi & de Reviers (2009: 28), the unnumbered specimen designated by Searles (1978: 368-369, fig. 5) was not the best choice and they consider it a pity that the isolectotype PC0062751 was not designated the lectotype. Another isolectotype PC0062752 was examined by González et al. (2012). - (12 April 2013) - G.M. Guiry
There is strong genetic evidence (Tellier et al. 2009) of the presence of at least two cryptic species within the current circumscription of this entity with contrasting geographic distributions: a northern species and a southern species along Chilean/Peruvian coasts, and an unknown distribution in southernmost part of Chile (including the type locality, Cape Horn). - (31 May 2010) - M.D. Guiry

Distributional note
González et al. (2012) note that recent molecular studies suggest the existence of two lineages, one (northern lineage) from 17º S to 30º S and a second (central lineage) from 29º S to 41º S. The internal structure of both lineages was different from the isolectotype of Lessonia nigrescens and therefore, they conclude that the name Lessonia nigrescens should not be used for any of the two lineages recently reported in Chile. They note that Chordaria spicata Suhr appears to be the oldest available name for the central lineage, while Lessonia bertroana Montagne is the oldest name for the northern lineage. - (06 December 2012) - G.M. Guiry

Habitat note
Lower intertidal and sublittoral fringe (Searles, 1978). - (15 October 2012) - G.M. Guiry

Linking to this page: https://www.algaebase.org/search/species/detail/?species_id=12163

Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
M.D. Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 16 December 2023. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 29 March 2025

Currently in AlgaeBase: