First records of Ulvella spongophila (Ulvophyceae: Ulvellaceae) for the Palaearctic region: the discovery of four populations in the SW Iberian Peninsula

During extensive Spanish river macrophyte and invertebrate surveys, the freshwater chlorophyte Ulvella spongophila was detected growing inside the freshwater sponge Ephydatia fluviatilis attached to stones. This finding is relevant from the phycological, biogeographical and ecological points of view...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Mellado Díaz, Andrés, Verdugo Althöfer, María, Monteagudo Canales, Laura, Moreno Alcaraz, José Luis
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2023
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha
Repositorio:RUIdeRA. Repositorio Institucional de la UCLM
OAI Identifier:oai:ruidera.uclm.es:10578/45314
Acceso en línea:https://doi.org/10.23818/limn.42.02
https://hdl.handle.net/10578/45314
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Algas dulceacuícolas
Chlorophyta
Ephydatia fluviatilis
España
Esponjas de agua dulce
Freshwater algae
Freshwater sponges
Iberian Peninsula
Palaearctic
Paleártico
Península Ibérica
Ríos temporales
Simbiosis
Spain
Spongillidae
Symbiosis
Temporary streams
Ulvella spongophila
Ulvellaceae
Descripción
Sumario:During extensive Spanish river macrophyte and invertebrate surveys, the freshwater chlorophyte Ulvella spongophila was detected growing inside the freshwater sponge Ephydatia fluviatilis attached to stones. This finding is relevant from the phycological, biogeographical and ecological points of view, and is the second world record of the species after one single known locality (Lake Manindjau, Sumatra, Malaysia), from which the species was collected and described around 130 years ago. The species was collected under summer base-flow conditions in four Mediterranean temporary/seasonal streams in 2018 and 2019. New information about the species’ morphological characteristics and ecological preferences in the Iberian Peninsula is presented. A comparative description of the observed specimens with previously published data, some biogeographical aspects of findings, certain biological facets of the sponge-algal association, and its conservation status, are discussed.