Abstract

ALVES, Aigara Miranda; GESTINARI, Lisia Mônica de Souza  and  MOURA, Carlos Wallace do Nascimento. The family Valoniaceae (Chlorophyta) in the state of Bahia, Brazil: morphological aspects and geographical distribution. Hidrobiológica [online]. 2010, vol.20, n.2, pp.171-184. ISSN 0188-8897.

The present paper included morphological and geographical distribution aspects of the Valoniaceae species occurring in the littoral of Bahía , Brazil. Specimens from vouchers of herbaria and material collected at 29 sites between 1994 and 2010 were analyzed. Four species were identified: Valonia aegagropila, V. macrophysa, V. ventricosa and Ernodesmis verticillata, the latter is a new record for the marine algae of Bahía state. Fertile thalli of E. verticillata and the presence of silica and calcium carbonate crystals into their cells were documented for the first time for the Brazilian coast. Detailed descriptions, illustrations and geographical distribution data for each species through the brazilian coast, as well as, discussion with related taxa are presented. Valonia aegagropila showed a wide distribution, being recorded all along the coast of Bahía, V. macrophysa and V. ventricosa, were recorded from the Todos los Santos Bay to the Abrolhos Archipelago and E. verticillata occurred only on the Itaparica and Madre de Deus Islands, both located in the Todos los Santos Bay.

Keywords : Ernodesmis; Valonia; taxonomy; morphology; geographical distribution.