New records of marine algae on artificial structures and intertidal flats in coastal waters of Singapore.

Abstract

A total of 40 algal records for Singapore are reported here, encompassing 26 species of Rhodophyceae, four species of Phaeophyceae and 10 species of Chlorophyceae. These algae were primarily collected from navigation buoys in Singapore waters and other artificial structures, either floating or fixed, from the Singapore coastline. All of the species presented in this report are considered new records for Singapore, except Gracilaria changii, Halymenia maculata, Dictyopteris repens, Cladophoropsis vaucheriaeformis and Parvocaulis parvulus. The records of 10 species listed here (Acrochaetium hypneae, Asparagopsis taxiformis, Ceramium flaccidum, Dictyopteris delicatula, Botryocladia skottsbergi Coelothrix irregularis, Chondria simplicuiscula, G. rhodymenioides, G. corticata and Chrysymenia procumbens), provide an extension of the previously known biogeographic distribution for these species. Although not in any way complete, these records are an important addition to the knowledge of algal diversity and distribution in Southeast Asia and demonstrate the high biodiversity of artificial habitats.