Bull. Natn. Sci. Mus., Tokyo, Ser. B, 23(1) , pp. 35- 41, March 24, 1997

Two Red Algal Parasites New to China
Taiju Kitayama1 , Jin-Xin Han2 and Hui-Ping Dai 2
1

Department of Botany, National Science Museum,4- 1- 1 Amakubo, Tsukuba, lbaraki, 305 Japan
2
Botanical Department, Shanghai Museum of Natural History,
1102 Long Wu Road, Shanghai, 200231 China
Abstract Two parasitic red algae (Rhodophyceae), Sorellocolax stellaris
Yoshida et Mikami (Delesseriaceae, Ceramiales) and Benzaitenia yenoshimensis
Yendo (Rhodomelaceae, Ceramiales) were first collected on the coasts of Zhoushan Islands, Zhejang Province, China. Both genera are recorded for the firsttime in China.
Key words: Benzaitenia yenoshimensis, Ceramiales, China, parasite, Rhodophyceae, Sorellocolax stellaris.

Since the discovery of the new genus Choreocolax by Reinsch (1874-1875)
more than 50 genera and over lOO species of parasitic red algae have been
described in the world (Gaff, 1982; Yoshida & Mikami, 1996), and all of which
are small, light-colored, occur only on the particular red algal hosts. In China twoparasitic genera, Gracilariophila Setchell et Wilson in Wilson ( 1910) and Janczewskia Solms-Laubach (1877), had been recorded by Chang & Xia (1978) so far.
During the botanical expedition to China under the title of "Comparative
floristic studies between Japan and SE Asia" started from 1995, we made a surveyof seaweed flora of Zhoushan Islands, Zhejang Province, China in June 1995,
and presented a paper of the brown algal flora there (Kitayama et a/,. 1995).
In the survey, we collected two red algal parasites on Sore/la repens (Okamura)
Hollenberg and Chondria crassicaulis Harvey respectively from the coasts of theislands: Dongjigang, Miaozihu Isl. (30° 11 'N, 122 o 41 'E); Nansha, Zhujiajian Isl.
(29 °52'N, 122°24'E); Xiangziao, Chengshan Isl. (30°43'N, 122°48'E). The
materials collected were fixed in 5- 20% Formalin-seawater within 12 hours forthe examining their anatomy. The voucher dry or sheet specimens are depositedin the herbaria of the National Science Museum, Tokyo (TNS-AL) and theShanghai Museum of Natural History (SHM) .
Description
Sorellocolax stellaris Yoshida et Mikami, Phycological Research, 44: 127 ( 1996)(Figs. 1, 2)

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Taiju Kitayama, Jin-Xin Han and Hui-Ping Dai

Fig. 1.

Red algal parasites from ChinaAc37

s~st---..._ .. ··· ... 'cp. se ,cp~cb3

6=-cb2

cb 3

Cb1
cb2

Cb1

Fig. 2. Sorellocolax stellaris Yoshida et Mikami. A. Apex of blade. Scale bar = 10,um. B.
Rhizoid cells creeping between host cells. Scale bar = 20 ,urn. C. Procarp with two
carpogonial branches. Scale bar = IO,um. D . Cystocarp. Scale bar = 40,um. Abbreviations: 1- 3, cells in the first-order cell row; a, apical cell; ea, carpogonium; cb1-3, cells
in carpogonial branch; cp, carpogonium; h, host cell; i, intercalary cell; os, ostiole; r,rhizoid cell; se, supporting cell; st, sterile cell.

Plants grow on branches of Sorella repens (Fig. lA) . They are dark red incalor, bladelike, flattened, branched once or twice, with one to several acute orobtuse apices. In the apex an apical cell is present and intercalary cell divisions
occurred in the first-order cell row (Fig. 2A). Holdfast projects numerous
endophytic rhizoids penetrated into the tissue of the host (Fig. lD). Rhizoid cells
Fig. 1. Sorellocolax stellaris Yoshida et Mikami. A. Habit of plants (arrowheads) on
Sorella repens (Okamura) Hollenberg. Scale bar = 1 mm. B. Male plant with spermatangial sori covering up the branches (arrowhead) . Scale bar = 200 ,um. C. Female plantwith three cystocarps. Scale bar = 200,um. D . Young plant with endophytic filaments(arrowheads) penetrated into the cortical layer of Sorella repens. Scale bar = 50 ,urn. E.
Detail of male plant with spermatangial sorus. Scale bar = 50 ,urn. F. Detail of female
plant with an apical cell (arrowhead) and procarps showing carpogonial branches(arrows) . Scale bar = 50,um. G . Tetrasporangial sorus showing tetrasporangia (arrows). Scale bar = 40 ,um. H. Cystocarp with an ostiole (arrow). Scale bar = 40,um.

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Taiju Kitayama, Jin-Xin Han and Hui-Ping Dai

creep among the host cells (Fig. 2B). Gametangia! plants are dioecious. Maleplants are up to 750 ,urn in length, 7G-340 ,urn in width (Fig. IB). Spermatangial
sari are formed at the surface of the thallus (Fig. lE), sometimes covering thewhole surface it except the apex (Fig. lB, arrowhead). Spermatangia are
ellipsoid, about 10 ,urn in length, about 4 ,urn in diameter. Female plants are up to
1. 8 mm in length, 12G-300 ,urn in width, having procarps scattering over the upper
portion of the thallus and one to four cystocarps on the lower portion (Fig. 1C,F). The procarp is composed of a supporting cell, two carpogonial branches, anda group of sterile cells (Fig. 2C). The carpogonial branch is four-celled with acarpogonium (we could not observe a distinct trichogyne). The cystocarps arehemispherical, 18- 240 ,urn in diameter, with a small ostiole when mature (Figs.
lH, 2D). Tetrasporangia are formed in a thallus, spherical, 22-34 ,urn indiameter, divided tetrahedrally when mature (Fig. lG).
Specimens examined: Xiangziao, Chengshan Isl. 10 June 1995 (TNs-AL44950, 44951, SHM-1002056, 1002057).
Geographical distribution: China, Japan.
Chinese name: Xiaoshezao Jj Y~§"~.
Sorellocolax stellaris was found recently on Sore/la repens (Okamura) Hollenberg (Delesseriaceae, Ceramiales) collected from the Pacific coast of Japanand recognized as a new adelphoparasitic genus and species by Y oshida & Mikami(1996). They pointed out that this species belongs to the Phycodrys group, bypossessing the intercalary divisions of the first-order in the cell row, thePolyneuratype procarp with two carpogonial branches and a group of sterile cells on asupporting cell, and carposporangia borne in short chains. Our observations
agree with their opinion of this new member of the Phycodrys group, though wecould not observe the inner structure of cystocarps. This is the second record forthe species.
In our materials with mature plants we could observe spermatangial saricovering up branches of the plants including marginal area and an ostiole on acystocarp, which have not been found in the Japanese plants.
Benzaitenia yenoshimensis Yendo, Nytt Mag. for Naturvidenskaberne, 51: 283(1913)(Fig. 3)
Plants grow on branches of Chondria crassicaulis. They are yellow in calor,Fig. 3. Benzaitenia yenoshimensis Yendo. A-c. Habit of plants on Chondria crassicaulis
Harvey. A. Male plant. Scale bar = I mm. B. Female plant. Scale bar = 1 mm. C. Tetrasporophyte. Scale bar = 1 mm. D, E. Spermatangial branches. D. Transverse section
showing spermatangia (arrowheads). Scale bar = 50 ,urn. E. Surface view. Scale bar =SO ,urn. F. Longitudinal section of cystocarp. Scale bar = 200,um. G. Tetrasporangia.
Scale bar = 20 ,urn. H . Surface view of tetrasporangial plant projecting numerous
stichidia. Scale bar = O.Smm. I. Stichidia. Scale bar = SO,um.

Red algal parasites from China

Fig. 3.

39

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Taiju Kitayama, Jin-Xin Han and Hui-Ping Dai

hemispherical to reniform, up to 4 mm in diameter, granular in the surface.
Gametangia! plants are dioecious. Male plants are prickly when mature, having
a number of spermatangial branches over the surface (Fig. 3A) . The spermatangial branches are cylindrical to slightly conical with a rounded apex, 16o-520 ,urnin length, 8o-150,um in diameter (Fig. 3D, E). Spermatangia are spherical toellipsoid, 5-9 ,urn in length, about 5 ,urn in diameter. Female plants are warty
when mature, having many cystocarps over the surface (Fig. 3B). The mature
cystocarps are spherical to ellipsoid, 32o-800 ,urn in diameter. Each cystocarp
when mature has an ostiole (Fig. 3F) . Tetrasporangial plants are prickly whenmature, having numerous stichidia covering the surface (Fig. 3C). Stichidia arecylidrical to slightly conical with an acute to rounded apex, 12o-440 ,urn in length,so--130 ,urn in diameter (Fig. 3H, I). Tetrasporangia are spherical to slightly
ellipsoid, about 32,um in diameter, dividing tetrahedrally (Fig. 3G).
Specimens examined: Dongjigang, Miaozihu lsl., 10 June 1995 (TNs-AL44952, SHM-1002050); Nansha, Zhujiajian lsl., 14 June 1995 (TNS-AL-4495344956, SHM-1002051-1002055).
Geographical distribution: China, Korea, Japan.
Chinese name: Tunangzao ~-~This species was described at first in Japan by Yendo (1913) based on hismaterials growing on Chondria crassicaulis Harvey (Rhodomelaceae) collectedfrom the Enoshima Island, Kanagawa Pref. and Oshoro Bay, Otaru, Hokkaido,and Laurencia saitoi Perestenko (as L. paniculata (J. Agardh) J. Agardh) fromYagishiri Island, Rumoi, Hokkaido. Although the genus Janczewskia SolmsLaubach (1877) was known at the time as the sole parasitic genus growing on
Chondria and Laurencia, he established a new genus Benzaitenia for this species
because he refered it to the family Dasyaceae (as subfamily Dasyeae in Rhodomelaceae) by the form of spermatangial branches and stichidia: this species haselongated, conical spermatangial branches and stichidia, which are similar tothose of the Dasyaceae. He also noted that the structures of pericarps andgonimolobes (fertile tissue of carposporophyte) of the female plants were different
from the structures of Janczewskia verrucaeformis Solms-Laubach, which is thetype species of the genus. However, B. yenoshimensis is considered now to be themember of the family Rhodomelaceae from the development pattern of procarp(Segawa 1962), and then to be adelphoparasitic algae. While more surveys on thegenus Janczewskia, which has about ten species including a species endemic toChina, Janczewskia ramiformis Chang & Xia (1978), are required, we considered,
for the present, that Benzaitenia yenoshimensis is different from all species ofJanczewskia in having spermatangial branches and stichidia projecting over thesurface of thallus without conceptacles.
We found an ostiole on mature cystocarps, which were once considered to belacking in the species by Yen do ( 1913).

Red algal parasites from China

41

surface of thallus without conceptacles.
We found an ostiole on mature cystocarps, which were once considered to belacking in the species by Yen do ( 1913).
Acknowledgments
We are grateful to Ass. Prof. Z.-L. Liu and staff of Shanghai Museum ofNatural History for their cooperation in collecting the materials. We also thankto Prof. T . Yoshida, Hokkaido University, for critical reading of this manuscript.
This study was supported by the Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research, Ministry ofEducation, Science, Sport and Culture, Japan (International Scientific Research
Program: Field Research no. 07041151).
References
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14: 121- 127. (in Chinese).
Golf, L. J. 1982. The biology of parasitic red algae. In F. E. Round & D. J. Chapman (eds.) ,Progress in Phycologica1 Research, Vol. 1. Elsevier Biomedical Press, Amsterdam, pp. 289- 369.
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Wilson, H . L. 1910. Gracilariophila, a new parasite in Gracilaria confervoides. Univ. Calif. Pub/. Bot.,
4: 75- 84.
Yendo, K. 1913. Some new algae from Japan. Nyt Mag. for Naturvidenskaberne, 51: 276-288, 2 pi.
Yoshida, T. & H. Mikami, 1996. Sorellocolax stellaris gen. et sp. nov., a hemiparasitic alga
(Delesseriaceae, Rhodophyta) from the east coast of Hoshu, Japan. Phycological Research,44(3) : 125- 128.