Proceedings of the Second Mediterranean Symposium on Marine
Proceedings of the Second Mediterranean Symposium on Marine
Proceedings of the Second Mediterranean Symposium on Marine
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PROCEEDINGS OF THE SECOND MEDITERRANEAN SYMPOSIUM ON MARINE VEGETATION (ATHENS, 12-13 DECEMBER 2003)<br />
80<br />
Mature tetrasporangia are spherical; tetrahedrically divided and measure 35-40 µm in<br />
diameter. In culture, tetrasporangia are so<strong>on</strong> released as a unit and numerous spores<br />
germinate. Germinati<strong>on</strong> follows <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Gelidium-type pattern.<br />
Thalli <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Apulian Batophora sp. col<strong>on</strong>ise st<strong>on</strong>es (Fig. 4a) at 0-3 m depth. Plants are<br />
bright green, s<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>t and delicate. The thallus c<strong>on</strong>sists <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> a cylindrical stalk, sometimes<br />
branched (Fig. 4b), attached to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> substrate by rhizoids, and numerous whorls <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
laterals. Reproductive organs were never observed <strong>on</strong> ei<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r field or lab-cultured thalli.<br />
Fig. 4.Batophora sp. Detail <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> (a) an unbranched thallus; (b) a branched thallus.<br />
Careful morphological and morphometric observati<strong>on</strong>s highlighted that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> thalli <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
Dasycladus were smaller than those <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Batophora and never branched; <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir main axis<br />
was 4-6 times wider and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> first order laterals were shorter and more numerous (Fig.<br />
5a, b).<br />
In regard to diagnosis at species level, according to Berger and Kaever (1992) in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
genus Batophora <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> species are distinct <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> basis <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> a few vegetative characters but<br />
above all <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> basis <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> reproductive <strong>on</strong>es. Comparis<strong>on</strong> between Mexican and<br />
Apulian specimens pointed out some slight differences, probably due to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> different<br />
geographical and climatic c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s (Table 6).<br />
Fig. 5.Batophora sp. Scheme <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> a whorl in (a) Dasycladus and (b) Batophora.