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SYSTEMATICS OF ULVACEAE (ULVOPHYCEAE, CHLOROPHYTA) USING NUCLEAR AND CHLOROPLAST DNA SEQUENCES

Ulvaceae are morphologically simple, cosmopolitan green macroalgae. Family members, particularly species of Ulva and Enteromorpha, are prevalent in coastal ecosystems and responsible for “green tide” events around the world. Little is known about the evolutionary history of Ulvaceae. A lack of reliable, non‐molecular systematic characters has thwarted attempts to diagnose natural groupings within Ulva and Enteromorpha and among these and other putative Ulvaceae genera. Our study addresses several questions: 1) What are the phylogenetic relationships among genera commonly placed in Ulvaceae (Chloropelta, Enteromorpha, Ulva, Ulvaria); 2) Where do problematic genera such as Blidingia, Capsosiphon, Kornmannia, and Percursaria belong; and 3) What are the natural groupings of taxa within these genera? We address these questions using nuclear and chloroplast DNA sequences. Phylogenetic analyses support a monophyletic Ulvaceae consisting of Chloropelta, Enteromorpha, Percursaria, Ulva and Ulvaria. The systematic position of Blidingia, Capsosiphon and Kornmannia, and evolutionary relationships within selected genera will be discussed.