Marine algal (seaweed) flora of Formigas Islets, Azores
Citation
Neto A I, Prestes A C L, Azevedo J M N, Resendes R, Álvaro N V, Neto R M A, Moreu I (2020). Marine algal (seaweed) flora of Formigas Islets, Azores. Version 1.8. Universidade dos Açores. Sampling event dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/jy5aes accessed via GBIF.org on 2024-08-31.Description
Background The oldest reference to marine life in Formigas Islets (oriental group of the Azores archipelago) goes back to the XVI century. Nevertheless, their macroalgal flora is poorly known, the published information mainly resulting from occasional collections of sporadic visitors. To overcome this and contribute to the knowledge of Azorean macroalgal flora at both local and regional scales, a thorough investigation was conducted in 1990 and 1991 under two expeditions promoted by the Marine Biology Research Group of the Department of Biology, University of the Azores. Collections and presence data recordings were done at the littoral and sublittoral levels down to approximately 40 m, in an area of approximately 0.04 Km2. This paper lists the taxonomic records and provides information regarding each species’ ecology and occurrence on the islets’ littoral.
New information A total of 320 specimens are registered (including taxa identified only at generic level) belonging to 90 taxa of macroalgae, from which 70 were diagnosed at species level. The confirmed species comprise 39 Rhodophyta, 12 Chlorophyta and 19 Ochrophyta (Phaeophyceae), distributed by 22 orders (13 Rhodophyta, 3 Chlorophyta and 6 Ochrophyta) and 37 families (24 Rhodophyta, 6 Chlorophyta and 7 Ochrophyta). Sixty-one species represent new records for the islets, from which Botryocladia macaronesica Afonso-Carrillo, Sobrino, Tittley & Neto and Laurencia viridis Gil-Rodriguez & Haroun are Macaronesian endemisms. Most species are native to the Azores, but six have an uncertain origin and four are introduced (the Rhodophyta Asparagopsis armata Harvey; Laurencia dendroidea J.Agardh; Neoizziella divaricata (C.K.Tseng) S.-M.Lin, S.-Y.Yang & Huisman; and the Ochrophyta Hydroclathrus tilesii (Endlicher) Santiañez & M.J.Wynne).
Introduction The Formigas Islets are located about 20 miles NE of Santa Maria Island and 34 miles SE of São Miguel Island (oriental group of Azorean archipelago, approximately 37°16′35″N, 24°46′54″W). They are arranged in a N-S direction, over a total length of about 165 m and a width of 80 m. Together with the submersed bank of Dollabarat, they form the Nature Reserve of Formigas Bank (DLR n° 11/88/ A). The oldest reference to life in Formigas Islets consists of descriptions of its marine fauna in the XVI century manuscript "Saudades da terra" written by the naturalist clergyman Gaspar Frutuoso. Subsequently, these islets were occasionally studied in sporadic visits by researchers, the first reference to the marine macroalgae being that of Piccone (1889). After that, several expeditions were made in order to study of the fauna and flora of the islets, which resulted in a few publications (see revision in Azevedo et al. 1991). An important finding was the first Azorean record of the brown alga Laminaria ochroleuca Bachelot de la Pylaie made by Ardré et al. (1973). Despite these efforts, the algal flora of these islets remained poorly known until the nineties, when a thorough investigation conducted by the Marine Biology Research Group of the Department of Biology, University of the Azores took place. This research group went to the islets in 1990 and 1991 and undertook collections and presence data recordings at the littoral and sublittoral levels down to approximately 40 m, in an area of approximately 0.04 Km2.
Purpose This paper, aimed at contributing to a better understanding of the seaweed flora of the Azores archipelago, lists the macroalgae recorded on surveys undertaken at Formigas Islets (Azores, eastern group) and presents a general information for each taxon’s occurrence on the islets’ littoral, thus contributing to address several biodiversity shortfalls (see Hortal et al. 2015), namely the need to catalogue the Azorean macroalgae (Linnean shortfall) and improve the current information on their local and regional geographic distribution (Wallacean shortfall), as well as on species abundances and dynamics in space (Prestonian shortfall). It is intended as a resource for academics, students, government, private organizations, and the general public, and also as a practical basis for biological studies such as systematics, diversity and conservation, biological monitoring, climate change and ecology.
Sampling Description
Study Extent
Collections were performed at littoral and sublittoral levels down to approximately 40 m around Formigas Islets in a total area of approximately 0.04 Km2.Sampling
Intertidal collections were made at low tide by walking over the shore. Subtidally collections were made by scuba diving. In each sampling location, one or two specimens of all different species found were scraped into labelled bags. Complementary data such as shore level (high, mid, low), orientation and type of substrate (bedrock, boulders, mixed), habitat (tide pool, open rock, gully, crevice) was also recorded.Quality Control
Each sampled taxon was investigated by trained taxonomists with the help of keys and floras. This involved morphological and anatomical examination by eye or under the dissecting and compound microscopes of an entire specimen or slide preparation. In difficult cases specimens were sent to experts for identification.Method steps
- In the laboratory the specimens were sorted and studied following standard procedures used in macroalgae identification. Species identification was based on morphological and anatomical characters and reproductive structures. For small and simple thalli, this required the observation of the entire thallus with the naked eye and/or using dissecting and compound microscopes. For larger and more complex algae, the investigation of thalli anatomy required histological work to obtain longitudinal and transverse sections needed for the observation of cells, reproductive structures and other diagnosing characters. Due to the mixed nature of the Azorean macroalgae, floras and keys from the Atlantic and Western Mediterranean were used for the species identification, e.g.: Schmidt (1931), Taylor (1967, 1978), Levring (1974), Dixon & Irvine (1977), Lawson & John (1982), Irvine (1983), Gayral & Cosson (1986), Fletcher (1987), Afonso-Carrillo & Sansón (1989), Burrows (1991), Boudouresque et al. (1992), Cabioc'h et al. (1992), Maggs & Hommersand (1993), Irvine & Chamberlain (1994), Brodie et al. (2007), Lloréns et al. (2012) and Rodríguez-Prieto et al. (2013). For more critical and taxonomically difficult taxa, specimens were taken to the Natural History Museum (London) for comparison with collections there, or sent to specialists. A reference collection was made for all specimens collected by giving them an herbarium code number and depositing them at the AZB Herbarium Ruy Telles Palhinha, University of Azores. Depending on the species and on further research planned, different types of collections were made, namely (i) liquid collections using 5% buffered formaldehyde seawater and then replacing it by the fixing agent Kew (Bridsen & Forman 1999); and (ii) dried collections, either by pressing the algae (most species) following the method described by Gayral and Cosson (1986). Nomenclatural and taxonomic status used here follow Algaebase (Guiry & Guiry, 2020). The database was organized on FileMaker Pro.
Additional info
Additional information on this study may also be requested to the first author.Taxonomic Coverages
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Rhodophytacommon name: Red algae rank: phylum
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Chlorophytacommon name: Green algae rank: phylum
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Ochrophytacommon name: Brown algae rank: phylum
Geographic Coverages
Bibliographic Citations
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- Ardré F, Boudouresque C-F & Cabioc'h J 1973. Note preliminaire sur le mission Bioçores du N:O:J:Charcot (Algologie). Bulletin de la Sociéte Phycologique de France 18: 30 -32 -
- Azevedo JMN, Costa AC, Neto AI & Brum JM, 1991. Formigas: breve monografia. Santa Maria e Formigas/90 – Relatório Preliminar. Relatórios e Comunicações do Departamento de Biologia, 19: 21-26. - http://hdl.handle.net/10400.3/942
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- Costa AC, Neto AI & Azevedo JMN, 1994. Ihéus das Formigas: um património a conhecer, uma reserva a proteger. 3º Congresso Nacional de Áreas Protegidas, 7pp, ICN, Lisboa, Portugal. -
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Contacts
Ana Isabel Netooriginator
position: Associate professor with aggregation; Macroalgae Curator at the AZB Herbarium Ruy Telles Palhinha
Universidade dos Açores, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Departamento de Biologia and Grupo de Investigação Aquática Insular, IBBC-GBA/cE3c
Rua da Mãe de Deus, 13-A
Ponta Delgada
9500-321
São Miguel, Açores
PT
Telephone: +351296650567
email: ana.im.neto@uac.pt
homepage: http://ce3c.ciencias.ulisboa.pt/member/anaisabelneto
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0708-5636
Afonso C. L. Prestes
originator
position: Researcher
Universidade dos Açores, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Departamento de Biologia and Grupo de Investigação Aquática Insular, IBBC-GBA/cE3c
Rua da Mãe de Deus, 13-A
Ponta Delgada
9500-321
São Miguel, Açores
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Telephone: +351296650567
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José M. N. Azevedo
originator
position: Auxiliary professor and Researcher
Universidade dos Açores, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Departamento de Biologia and Grupo de Investigação Aquática Insular, IBBC-GBA/cE3c
Rua da Mãe de Deus, 13-A
Ponta Delgada
9500-321
São Miguel, Açores
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email: jose.mv.azevedo@uac.pt
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userId: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2573-1371
Roberto Resendes
originator
position: Curator at the AZB-Herbarium Ruy Telles Palhinha
Universidade dos Açores, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Departamento de Biologia
Rua da Mãe de Deus, 13-A
Ponta Delgada
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São Miguel, Açores
PT
Telephone: +351296650000, ext. 1731
email: roberto.resendes@uac.pt
Nuno Vaz Álvaro
originator
position: Researcher
Universidade dos Açores, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias, CCMMG (Centro do Clima Meteorologia e Mudanças Globais), IITA-A (Instituto de Investigação e Tecnologias Agrárias e do Ambiente)
Campus de Angra do Heroísmo Rua Capitão João d’Ávlia – Pico da Urze
Angra do Heroísmo
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email: nuno.ms.alvaro@uac.pt
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Raul M. A. Neto
originator
position: Collaborator
NA
PT
email: raulmaneto@gmail.com
Ignacio Moreu
originator
position: Researcher
Universidade dos Açores, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Departamento de Biologia and Grupo de Investigação Aquática Insular, IBBC-GBA/cE3c
Rua da Mãe de Deus, 13-A
Ponta Delgada
9500-321
São Miguel, Açores
PT
email: nacho.moreu.badia@gmail.com
homepage: https://ce3c.ciencias.ulisboa.pt/member/Ignacio_Moreu_Badia
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Ana Isabel Neto
metadata author
position: Associate professor with aggregation; Macroalgae Curator at the AZB Herbarium Ruy Telles Palhinha
Universidade dos Açores, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Departamento de Biologia and Grupo de Investigação Aquática Insular, IBBC-GBA/cE3c
Rua da Mãe de Deus, 13-A
Ponta Delgada
9500-321
São Miguel, Açores
PT
Telephone: +351296650567
email: ana.im.neto@uac.pt
homepage: http://ce3c.ciencias.ulisboa.pt/member/anaisabelneto
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0708-5636
Ignacio Moreu
metadata author
position: Researcher
Universidade dos Açores, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Departamento de Biologia and Grupo de Investigação Aquática Insular, IBBC-GBA/cE3c
Rua da Mãe de Deus, 13-A
Ponta Delgada
9500-321
São Miguel, Açores
PT
Telephone: +351296650567
email: nacho.moreu.badia@gmail.com
homepage: https://ce3c.ciencias.ulisboa.pt/member/Ignacio_Moreu_Badia
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1225-4668
Ana Isabel Neto
author
position: Associate professor with aggregation; Macroalgae Curator at the AZB Herbarium Ruy Telles Palhinha
Universidade dos Açores, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Departamento de Biologia and Grupo de Investigação Aquática Insular, IBBC-GBA/cE3c
Rua da Mãe de Deus, 13-A
Ponta Delgada
9500-321
São Miguel, Açores
PT
Telephone: +351296650567
email: ana.im.neto@uac.pt
homepage: http://ce3c.ciencias.ulisboa.pt/member/anaisabelneto
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0708-5636
Ignacio Moreu
author
position: Researcher
Universidade dos Açores, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Departamento de Biologia and Grupo de Investigação Aquática Insular, IBBC-GBA/cE3c
Rua da Mãe de Deus, 13-A
Ponta Delgada
9500-321
São Miguel, Açores
PT
Telephone: +351296650567
email: nacho.moreu.badia@gmail.com
homepage: https://ce3c.ciencias.ulisboa.pt/member/Ignacio_Moreu_Badia
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1225-4668
Ana Isabel Neto
administrative point of contact
position: Associate professor with aggregation; Macroalgae Curator at the AZB Herbarium Ruy Telles Palhinha
Universidade dos Açores, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Departamento de Biologia and Grupo de Investigação Aquática Insular, IBBC-GBA/cE3c
Rua da Mãe de Deus, 13-A
Ponta Delgada
9500-321
São Miguel, Açores
PT
Telephone: +351296650567
email: ana.im.neto@uac.pt
homepage: http://ce3c.ciencias.ulisboa.pt/member/anaisabelneto
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0708-5636