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VALIDITY OF SCINAIA SAIFULLAHII (FLORIDEOPHYCEAE)

SYED AFAQ-HUSAIN AND MUSTAFA SHAMEEL*

Abstract: During a survey of the marine algal flora, a variety of forms attributed to the genus Scinaia Bivona-Bernardi (Galaxauraceae, Bonnemaisoniales) were found growing along the coast of Pakistan (Shameel et al., 1989; Shameel& Tanaka, 1992; Afaq-Husain, 1996). A new species, Scinaia saifullahii Afaq-Husain et Shameel, belonging to the cylindrical-unconstricted forms was described (Afaq-Husain & Shameel, 1997). It is cylindrical, cartilaginous as well as mucilaginous dark red alga (Figs. 1-4), characterised by S. forcellata-type of cortex. It differs from other similar species, such as S. australis (Setchell) Huisman, S. fascicularis (Børgesen) Huisman and S. snyderae (Setchell) Huisman (Desikachary & Singh, 1958; Huisman, 1985) in having large size of the thallus up to 25 em, large segments between successive dichotomies varying up to 60 mm and large cystocarps up to 300 µm in diameter.

PCSIR Laboratories Complex, Off University Road, Karachi-75280, Pakistan.
Department of Botany, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270, Pakistan.