Taxonomic study of four species of Gracilaria(Gracilariaceae,Rhodophyta)in Zhanjiang based on morphological and molecular data
According to the molecular and morphological analysis,the species of Gracilariaceae was studied using the samples collected from Zhanjiang,Guangdong province,China.Four Gracilariaceae species were identified,namely:Gracilaria tenuistipitata,G.firma,G.edulis and Gracilariopsis bailinae.Their taxonomic characters and phylogenetic relationships were discussed in detail.This is combined with data from the literature to clarify that G.tenuistipitata,G.tenuistipitata var.liui and G.longirostris are the same species,and G.firma and G.changii are the same species.This study revised the taxonomic information of Gracilariaceae species in the coastal waters of southern China,and also provided a taxonomic basis for the conservation and development of macroalgae resources in Zhanjiang sea area.