As the 2 species have been discovered on the west and south east coasts of India, it suggests good prospects for his or her cultivation which might be put to good use economically.
Two new species of seaweed have been found by a gaggle of marine biologists from Central University of Punjab, Bathinda. Named Hypnea indica (after India) and Hypnea bullata (as a result of of the blisterlike marks on its physique – bullate), the seaweeds are half of the genus Hypnea or red seaweeds.
They develop in the intertidal areas of the coast, particularly the realm that’s submerged through the excessive tide and uncovered throughout low tides. The discovery was recorded in the journal Botanica Marina.
Adding to the quantity
The genus Hypnea consists of calcareous, erect, branched red seaweeds. “There are 61 species of which 10 were reported in India. With our two new species, the total number of species now would be 63,” says Felix Bast, from the Department of Botany, in the University, who led the analysis.
While Hypnea indica was found Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu, and Somnath Pathan and Sivrajpur in Gujarat, Hypnea bullata was found from Kanyakumari and Diu island of Daman and Diu.
To rule out the likelihood that the species had been round earlier, however that now had been documented, the researchers in contrast traits of these specimens with all of the 61 at the moment accepted species of Hypnea one after the other.
“Comparison not only included morphology, but also DNA sequences. Such a polyphasic approach combining morphology (traditional) with DNA sequencing (modern) is the gold standard in species discoveries in taxonomy these days,” says Dr. Bast.
Chance discovery
The researchers have been on a routine survey and picked up a big quantity of species. “Our heuristics involve making a checklist of obviously known species (by carefully examining the morphology) and shortlisting unique specimens that do not conform to existing species descriptions. Such unique specimens would be subjected to DNA barcoding to check homology with other sequences worldwide (to reduce the costs).” Dr. Bast explains.
Food business
Species of Hypnea comprise the biomolecule carrageenan, which is extensively used in the meals business.
As the 2 species have been discovered on the west and south east coasts of India, it suggests good prospects for his or her cultivation which might be put to good use economically.
The research additionally experiences one different species of Hypnea for the primary time in Indian coasts, Hypnea nidifica.
The in depth calcareous deposits on the physique that has been noticed additionally supplies room for thought. Several current research have proven that algae with calcareous mineral deposits are inclined for the harm from ocean acidification – an aftermath of local weather change.
As carbon dioxide in the ambiance will get dissolved in ocean waters, the seawater turns into extra acidic. Algae like Hypnea can’t survive in acidic seawater, therefore, the one means to assist these species is to scale back atmospheric carbon dioxide ranges by adopting sustainable way of life decisions.
