Nomenclatural changes for some freshwater red algae from India

Ganesan, E.K.,West, John A. The Korean Society of Phycology 2013 ALGAE Vol.28 No.1

In preparing a bibliographic check-list on freshwater red algae of India, we noted that nomenclatural changes are necessary for nine taxa currently placed in Acrochaetium-Audouinella-Chantransia complex and Batrachospermum sensu lato. These are Audouinella desikacharyi nom. nov., A. keralayensis (Jose & Patel) comb. nov., Kumanoa balakrishnanii (Chaugule) comb. nov., K. dasyphylla (Skuja ex Balakrishnan & Chaugule) comb. nov., K. iyengarii (Skuja ex Balakrishnan & Chaugule) comb. nov., K. kylinii (Balakrishnan & Chaugule) comb. nov., K. mahabaleshwarense (Balakrishnan & Chaugule) comb. nov., K. umamaheswararaoi (Baluswami & Babu) comb. nov., and K. zeylanica (Skuja ex Balakrishnan & Chaugule) comb. nov. All the above-mentioned species, excepting Kumanoa zeylanica, appear to be endemic to India, since no other records are known outside India.

Nomenclatural changes for some freshwater red algae from India

E. K. Ganesan,John A. west 한국조류학회I 2013 ALGAE Vol.28 No.1

In preparing a bibliographic check-list on freshwater red algae of India, we noted that nomenclatural changes are necessary for nine taxa currently placed in Acrochaetium-Audouinella-Chantransia complex and Batrachospermum sensu lato. These are Audouinella desikacharyi nom. nov., A. keralayensis (Jose & Patel) comb. nov., Kumanoa balakrishnanii (Chaugule) comb. nov., K. dasyphylla (Skuja ex Balakrishnan & Chaugule) comb. nov., K. iyengarii (Skuja ex Balakrishnan & Chaugule) comb. nov., K. kylinii (Balakrishnan & Chaugule) comb. nov., K. mahabaleshwarense (Balakrishnan & Chaugule) comb. nov., K. umamaheswararaoi (Baluswami & Babu) comb. nov., and K. zeylanica (Skuja ex Balakrishnan & Chaugule) comb. nov. All the above-mentioned species, excepting Kumanoa zeylanica, appear to be endemic to India, since no other records are known outside India.

Diversity of the genus Sheathia (Batrachospermales, Rhodophyta) in northeast India and east Nepal

Necchi, Orlando Jr.,West, John A.,Ganesan, E.K.,Yasmin, Farishta,Rai, Shiva Kumar,Rossignolo, Natalia L. The Korean Society of Phycology 2019 ALGAE Vol.34 No.4

Freshwater red algae of the order Batrachospermales are poorly studied in India and Nepal, especially on a molecular basis. During a survey in northeast India and east Nepal, six populations of the genus Sheathia were found and analyzed using molecular and morphological evidence. Phylogenetic analyses based on the rbcL gene sequences grouped all populations in a large clade including our S. arcuata specimens and others from several regions. Sheathia arcuata represents a species complex with a high sequence divergence and several smaller clades. Samples from India and Nepal were grouped in three distinct clades with high support and representing new cryptic species: a clade formed by two samples from India, which was named Sheathia assamica sp. nov.; one sample from India and one from Nepal formed another clade, named Sheathia indonepalensis sp. nov.; two samples from Nepal grouped with sequences from Hawaii and Indonesia (only 'Chantransia' stages) and gametophytes from Taiwan, named Sheathia dispersa sp. nov. Morphological characters of the specimens from these three species overlap one another and with the general circumscription of S. arcuata, which lacks the heterocortication (presence of bulbous cells in the cortical filaments) present in other species of the genus Sheathia. Although the region sampled is relatively restricted, the genetic diversity among specimens of these three groups was high and not closely related in the phylogenetic relationship with the other clades of S. arcuata. These data corroborate information from other groups of organisms (e.g., land and aquatic plants) that indicates this region (Eastern Himalaya) as a hotspot of biodiversity.

Diversity of the genus Sheathia (Batrachospermales, Rhodophyta) in northeast India and east Nepal

Orlando Necchi,John A. West,E. K. Ganesan,Farishta Yasmin,Shiva Kumar Rai,Natalia L. Rossignolo 한국조류학회I 2019 ALGAE Vol.34 No.4

Freshwater red algae of the order Batrachospermales are poorly studied in India and Nepal, especially on a molecularbasis. During a survey in northeast India and east Nepal, six populations of the genus Sheathia were found and analyzedusing molecular and morphological evidence. Phylogenetic analyses based on the rbcL gene sequences grouped allpopulations in a large clade including our S. arcuata specimens and others from several regions. Sheathia arcuata representsa species complex with a high sequence divergence and several smaller clades. Samples from India and Nepal weregrouped in three distinct clades with high support and representing new cryptic species: a clade formed by two samplesfrom India, which was named Sheathia assamica sp. nov.; one sample from India and one from Nepal formed anotherclade, named Sheathia indonepalensis sp. nov.; two samples from Nepal grouped with sequences from Hawaii and Indonesia(only ‘Chantransia’ stages) and gametophytes from Taiwan, named Sheathia dispersa sp. nov. Morphologicalcharacters of the specimens from these three species overlap one another and with the general circumscription of S. arcuata, which lacks the heterocortication (presence of bulbous cells in the cortical filaments) present in other species ofthe genus Sheathia. Although the region sampled is relatively restricted, the genetic diversity among specimens of thesethree groups was high and not closely related in the phylogenetic relationship with the other clades of S. arcuata. Thesedata corroborate information from other groups of organisms (e.g., land and aquatic plants) that indicates this region(Eastern Himalaya) as a hotspot of biodiversity.

Lemanea manipurensis sp. nov. (Batrachospermales), a freshwater red algal species from North-East India

Ganesan, E.K.,West, J.A.,Zuccarello, G.C.,de Goer, S. Loiseaux,Rout, J. The Korean Society of Phycology 2015 ALGAE Vol.30 No.1

A new macroscopic riverine red algal species, Lemanea manipurensis sp. nov. (Batrachospermales) is described from Manipur in northeast India. It has a sparsely branched, pseudoparenchymatous thallus with a single, central axial filament that lacks cortical filaments. Spermatangia occur generally in isolated, low and indistinct patches or form an almost continuous ring around the axis. Carposporophytes project into the hollow thallus cavity without an ostiole. The most striking morphological feature is the carposporophyte with very short gonimoblast filaments having cylindrical, narrow and sparsely branched sterile filaments, the terminal cell of each branch with a single, large, elongate carpospore. The widely distributed L. fluviatilis has spherical carpospores in long branched chains. Phylogenetic analysis of rbcL sequence data and comparison with other Batrachospermales clearly show that our specimens do not align with other species of Lemanea and Paralemanea investigated thus far. Five specific names attributed in previous literature (1973-2014) to Lemanea from Manipur, L. australis, L. catenata, L. fluviatilis, L. mamillosa, and L. torulosa are rejected until critical anatomical and molecular evidence is available for specimens from the Manipur river systems. Taxa referable to Paralemanea were not confirmed for India in this study. In view of the high demand for food and medical uses of L. manipurensis in northeast India, conservation measures are needed for its long term survival. The present paper constitutes the first combined morphological / molecular study on a freshwater red alga from India.

The Effects of Hydrophobicity and Drainage Velocity on Water Retention Behavior in Porous Media: A Computational Study

K. W. Yong,P. B. Ganesan,E. Hamidi,S. N. Kazi,S. Ramesh 대한설비공학회 2020 International Journal Of Air-Conditioning and Refr Vol.28 No.4

The present study investigates the water retention behavior in two different types of porous media, i.e., porous metal — a type of metallic foam and ideal geometry. The present study uses computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to model a decreasing water level in a reservoir consisting of a stationary porous medium beneath the water surface at initial stage. It mimics the setup of dynamics dip-testing which measures the amount of retained water for different types of fins-tubes heat exchangers. The study varies parameters like static contact angle (θ s)and drainage velocity (U). The literature review summarizes the unique water retention behaviors for different types of heat exchangers and the findings of the present study. Furthermore, the present study proposed new parameters for evaluating the structural variations in porous metal that explains the water saturation distribution in detail. The evaluation method could provide an insightful idea for performing the quality control check on metallic foam.

Comparative observations on Cephaleuros parasiticus and C. virescens (Trentepohliaceae, Chlorophyta) from India

Suto, Yasuo,Ganesan, E.K.,West, John A. The Korean Society of Phycology 2014 ALGAE Vol.29 No.2

Cephaleuros parasiticus and C. virescens were collected from Kerala and Tamil Nadu, India. Macroscopic and microscopic features were observed and their comparative features were discussed. The lesions of C. parasiticus occur on the upper and lower leaf surfaces although zoosporangia form only on the lower surface. The thalli grow subepidermally and intramatrically, causing necrosis of whole leaf tissue. On the other hand C. virescens thalli develop on the upper surface and zoosporangia form on the upper surface, the thalli grow subcuticularly, and only the host epidermal and palisade cells are necrosed. Syzygium aromaticum and Polyalthia longifolia are new host plants of C. parasiticus and C. virescens, respectively.

Lemanea manipurensis sp. nov. (Batrachospermales), a freshwater red algal species from North-East India

J. A. West,E. K. Ganesan,G. C. Zuccarello,S. Loiseaux de Goër,J. Rout 한국조류학회I 2015 ALGAE Vol.30 No.1

A new macroscopic riverine red algal species, Lemanea manipurensis sp. nov. (Batrachospermales) is described from Manipur in northeast India. It has a sparsely branched, pseudoparenchymatous thallus with a single, central axial filament that lacks cortical filaments. Spermatangia occur generally in isolated, low and indistinct patches or form an almost continuous ring around the axis. Carposporophytes project into the hollow thallus cavity without an ostiole. The most striking morphological feature is the carposporophyte with very short gonimoblast filaments having cylindrical, narrow and sparsely branched sterile filaments, the terminal cell of each branch with a single, large, elongate carpospore. The widely distributed L. fluviatilis has spherical carpospores in long branched chains. Phylogenetic analysis of rbcL sequence data and comparison with other Batrachospermales clearly show that our specimens do not align with other species of Lemanea and Paralemanea investigated thus far. Five specific names attributed in previous literature (1973- 2014) to Lemanea from Manipur, L. australis, L. catenata, L. fluviatilis, L. mamillosa, and L. torulosa are rejected until critical anatomical and molecular evidence is available for specimens from the Manipur river systems. Taxa referable to Paralemanea were not confirmed for India in this study. In view of the high demand for food and medical uses of L. manipurensis in northeast India, conservation measures are needed for its long term survival. The present paper constitutes the first combined morphological / molecular study on a freshwater red alga from India.

Caloglossa beccarii (Delesseriaceae, Rhodophyta) from freshwater rivers in Kerala, India, a critical new record

John A. west,Mitsunobu Kamiya,E. K. Ganesan,Susan Louiseaux-de Goër,L. Jose 한국조류학회I 2015 ALGAE Vol.30 No.3

Caloglossa species occurs in freshwater streams around Southest Asia. We report it from 2 different riverine sites in Kerala, India. Tetrasporangiate plants were observed in field collections from the Periyar River and Chalakkudy River. The Chalakkudy isolate did not reproduce in culture but the Periyar isolate developed abundant tetrasporangial sori in culture. Many spores were discharged and most were abortive, but some germinated normally, sporelings forming male gametophytes with numerous spermatangial sori and females with many procarps, viable carposporophytes and some nonfunctional (no carpospores) pseudocystocarps. Some carpospores germinated forming new tetrasporophytes. Molecular evidence (28S rDNA and rbcL) placed the Indian specimens close to C. beccarii and C. fluviatilis. Considering the freshwater habitat and morphology of vegetative thalli (blade shape, rhizoid arrangement, and number of rhizoid filament per cell), the Indian specimens should be assigned to C. beccarii.

Diversity of freshwater red algae at Khao Luang National Park, southern Thailand

W. Chankaew,A. Sakset,A. Sakset,E. K. Ganesan,Orlando Necchi Jr.,John A. West 한국조류학회I 2019 ALGAE Vol.34 No.1

Freshwater red algal diversity and the relationship with water conditions in 22 stream segments in the area aroundKhao Luang National Park, Nakhon Si Thammarat province, southern Thailand, were studied during a period of twelvemonths (May 2014 to April 2015). Sixteen species of freshwater red algae, belonging to eight genera (Audouinella, Balliopsis,Batrachospermum, Caloglossa, Compsopogon, Kumanoa, Sirodotia, and Thorea) were identified, which were allreported earlier for the country. Thorea clavata (Thoreaceae) was the most common species occurring in eight streamsegments. Caloglossa beccarii sensu lato (Delesseriaceae) and Sirodotia huillensis Skuja (Batrachospermaceae) had thehighest percent cover with up to 40% and 20% per stream segment, respectively. The water quality showed most sitesto be unpolluted or ultra-oligotrophic to oligotrophic. Canonical Correspondence Analysis revealed some trends inoccurrence of individual species with stream environmental variables: Batrachospermum sp. with strong current velocity;Kumanoa hirosei with high turbidity, total dissolved solid and alkalinity; Caloglossa beccarii with high conductivity;Kumanoa tabagatenensis with high ammonia-nitrogen and Thorea siamensis with high calcium and magnesium. Inview of the scarce studies on the stream ecology of freshwater red algae in Philippines and neighbouring countries, itis expected that the data presented here would be helpful in more critical further studies in south-east Asia in general.