Rhodogorgonales Explained

The Rhodogorgonales are an order of red algae, a sister group to the corallines. They are always thalloid and calcified; their calcification is very different from the corallines, as individual calcite crystals are deposited in the cell wall of specialised cells; this suggests that the evolution of calcification may have been independent from the corallines.^[1] They have no fossil record.^[2]

Unlike the corallinales and sporolithales, their closest relatives, these thalli are loose aggregations of hair-like cells, with the middle portion formed of rhizoid-like filaments. Spores are borne on the end of hair-like cells (cortical fascicles).^[3]

Images can be seen in Rhodogorgon ramosissima J. N. Norris & Bucher (Rhodogorgonales, Rhodogorgonaceae, Rhodophyta), registro nuevo para la Costa Venezolana . Acta Bot. Venez . 29 . 2006 . 2 .

Families

As accepted by AlgaeBase;

• Family Elianellaceae (13 species)
  • Anchisolenopora - 1 sp.
  • Elianella - 1 sp.
  • Marinella - 2 spp.
  • Parachaetetes - 8 spp.
  • Solenoporella - 1 sp.
• Family Rhodogorgonaceae (5 species)
  • Renouxia ^[4] - 2 spp.
  • Rhodenigma - 1 sp.
  • Rhodogorgon ^[5] - 2 spp.

Notes and References

1. Xiao . S. . Knoll . A.H. . Yuan . X. . Pueschel . C.M. . 2004 . Phosphatized multicellular algae in the Neoproterozoic Doushantuo Formation, China, and the early evolution of florideophyte red algae . American Journal of Botany . 91 . 2 . 214–227 . 10.3732/ajb.91.2.214 . 21653378. free .
2. Aguirre . J.. Perfectti . F.. Braga . J. C.. Integrating phylogeny, molecular clocks, and the fossil record in the evolution of coralline algae (Corallinales and Sporolithales, Rhodophyta). Paleobiology. 36. 4. 519. 2010. 10.1666/09041.1.
3. 19490946 . Le Gall . L. . Payri . C. . Bittner . L. . Saunders . G. . Multigene phylogenetic analyses support recognition of the Sporolithales ord. Nov . Molecular Phylogenetics & Evolution . 54 . 1 . 302–305 . 2010 . 10.1016/j.ympev.2009.05.026 .
4. 1995. A new order (Rhodogorgonales) and family (Rhodogorgonaceae) of red algae composed of two tropical calciferous genera, Renouxia gen. nov. and Rhodogorgon. Cryptogamic Botany. 5. 316–331 . FREDERICQ, S. . NORRIS, J. N..
5. Rhodogorgon, an anamolous new red algal genus from the Caribbean Sea. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. NORRIS J. N.. BUCHER K. E.. 1989. 102. 4. 1050–1066. 0006-324X.