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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2025-03-01
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| author | Maycol Ezequiel Madrid Concepcion Rachel Collin Kenneth S. Macdonald Amy C. Driskell Suzanne Fredericq Brian Wysor D. Wilson Freshwater |
| author_facet | Maycol Ezequiel Madrid Concepcion Rachel Collin Kenneth S. Macdonald Amy C. Driskell Suzanne Fredericq Brian Wysor D. Wilson Freshwater |
| author_sort | Maycol Ezequiel Madrid Concepcion |
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| description | 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. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-323eb59102bb479dbd67e99793ef8003 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1424-2818 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-323eb59102bb479dbd67e99793ef80032025-08-20T02:28:28ZengMDPI AGDiversity1424-28182025-03-0117422210.3390/d17040222DNA 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)Maycol Ezequiel Madrid Concepcion0Rachel Collin1Kenneth S. Macdonald2Amy C. Driskell3Suzanne Fredericq4Brian Wysor5D. Wilson Freshwater6Biology and Marine Biology Department, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC 28403, USASmithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon, Panama 0843, PanamaLaboratories of Analytical Biology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20560, USALaboratories of Analytical Biology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20560, USADepartment of Biology, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USADepartment of Biology, Marine Biology & Environmental Science, Roger Williams University, Bristol, RI 02809, USACenter for Marine Science, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC 28409, USABocas 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.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/17/4/222COI-5P<i>cox1</i><i>rbc</i>LUPAnew speciesRhodophyta |
| spellingShingle | Maycol Ezequiel Madrid Concepcion Rachel Collin Kenneth S. Macdonald Amy C. Driskell Suzanne Fredericq Brian Wysor D. Wilson Freshwater 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) Diversity COI-5P <i>cox1</i> <i>rbc</i>L UPA new species Rhodophyta |
| title | 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) |
| title_full | 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) |
| title_fullStr | 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) |
| title_full_unstemmed | 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) |
| title_short | 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) |
| title_sort | dna barcoding of red algae from bocas del toro panama with a description of i gracilaria bocatorensis i sp nov and i g dreckmannii i sp nov gracilariales gracilariaceae |
| topic | COI-5P <i>cox1</i> <i>rbc</i>L UPA new species Rhodophyta |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/17/4/222 |
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