DNA Barcoding of Red Algae from Bocas del Toro, Panamá, with a Description of <i>Gracilaria bocatorensis</i> sp. nov. and <i>G. dreckmannii</i> sp. nov. (Gracilariales, Gracilariaceae)

DNA Barcoding of Red Algae from Bocas del Toro, Panamá, with a Description of <i>Gracilaria bocatorensis</i> sp. nov. and <i>G. dreckmannii</i> sp. nov. (Gracilariales, Gracilariaceae)

Bocas del Toro is an archipelago on the Caribbean coast of Panamá, recognized as a biodiversity hotspot. While marine red macroalgae in the Western Atlantic are well studied, the marine flora of Panamá, particularly Bocas del Toro, remains underexplored using DNA barcoding. This study documents the...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Maycol Ezequiel Madrid Concepcion, Rachel Collin, Kenneth S. Macdonald, Amy C. Driskell, Suzanne Fredericq, Brian Wysor, D. Wilson Freshwater
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Diversity
Subjects:
COI-5P
<i>cox1</i>
<i>rbc</i>L
UPA
new species
Rhodophyta
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/17/4/222
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Summary:Bocas del Toro is an archipelago on the Caribbean coast of Panamá, recognized as a biodiversity hotspot. While marine red macroalgae in the Western Atlantic are well studied, the marine flora of Panamá, particularly Bocas del Toro, remains underexplored using DNA barcoding. This study documents the diversity of marine red macroalgae in the region using COI-5P barcoding to identify species, detect cryptic diversity, and assess the presence of invasive and amphi-isthmian species. Specimens collected in 2008 and 2009 yielded 179 COI-5P sequences. Barcode Index Numbers (BINs) were assigned to 82 genetic clusters, many lacking GenBank matches, suggesting potential new species. Morphology and phylogenetic analyses of <i>rbc</i>L, UPA, and <i>cox1</i> confirmed two new species of <i>Gracilaria</i> (<i>G. bocatorensis</i> sp. nov. and <i>G. dreckmannii</i> sp. nov.). Despite advances in DNA barcoding, red macroalgal diversity in Panamá remains understudied, particularly Corallinales, where <i>rbc</i>L sequences are lacking. No introduced or amphi-isthmian species were detected. This study adds 16 new species records for the Caribbean coast of Panamá, emphasizing the importance of DNA barcoding in biodiversity research.
ISSN:1424-2818

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