Durvillaea willana explained

Durvillaea willana is a large species of southern bull kelp endemic to New Zealand.^{[1] [2] [3]}

Etymology

The species epithet, willana, honours Eileen Alice Willa who collected many algal species for Lindauer.

Description

This species is chocolate brown in colour and is darker than all other bull kelp species.^[4] It has a branched stipe. The species is non-buoyant and does not have 'honeycomb' in its fronds. The holdfast becomes large and spreads like a plate on rocky substrates.

This species is superficially similar in appearance to Durvillaea antarctica.^[5] However, D. willana has smaller blades than D. antarctica and is usually found lower on the shoreline because its lower tolerance of wave action compared to D. antarctica. It also has a branched stipe and does not have buoyant fronds, unlike D. antarctica.

Distribution

This species of kelp is endemic to New Zealand and is found on the southeastern shores of the North Island, although not in Cook Strait, as well as on the shores of the South Island and Stewart Island.^{[6] [7]}

Gaps in the geographic range of the species may have been caused by earthquake uplift events such as the 1855 Wairarapa earthquake. However, historic uplift (800 – 1400 years before present) in the Akatore fault zone does not seem to have caused any long term disruption in the genetic diversity of D. willana, in that region. This result suggests that the subtidal D. willana may not die-off completely due to earthquake uplift events.

External links

• Algaebase: Durvillaea Lindauer
• Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa: Durvillaea willana Lindauer (Species)

Notes and References

1. Fraser. C.I.. Winter. D.J.. Spencer. H.G.. Waters. J.M.. 2010. Multigene phylogeny of the southern bull-kelp genus Durvillaea (Phaeophyceae: Fucales). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 57. 3. 1301–11. 10.1016/j.ympev.2010.10.011. 20971197.
2. Ceridwen I.. Fraser. Marcel. Velásquez. Wendy A.. Nelson. Erasmo C.A.. Macaya. Cameron. Hay. 2019. The biogeographic importance of buoyancy in macroalgae: a case study of the southern bull‐kelp genus Durvillaea (Phaeophyceae), including descriptions of two new species. Journal of Phycology. 56. 1. 23–36. 10.1111/jpy.12939. 31642057. free.
3. 10.1080/0028825X.2019.1679842 . Seashore uplift and the distribution of the bull kelp Durvillaea willana Lindauer in New Zealand . New Zealand Journal of Botany. 2019 . 2. 94–117 . 2019 . Hay. Cameron H.. 208593399 .
4. Book: Collins field guide to the New Zealand seashore. Carson. Sally Fraser. Morris. Rod. Harper Collins. 2017. 9781775540106. Auckland, New Zealand. 357. 1012909625.
5. Book: Bradstock, M. C.. Between the tides : New Zealand shore and estuary life. David Bateman Ltd. 1989. 1869530055. Rev.. Auckland, N.Z.. 154713066.
6. Book: New Zealand seaweeds : an illustrated guide. Nelson. W.A.. Te Papa Press. 2013. 9780987668813. Wellington, New Zealand. 70. 841897290. Wendy Nelson (marine scientist).
7. 10.1098/rspb.2020.0712 . The genomic footprint of coastal earthquake uplift . Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 287 . 20200712 . 2020 . Parvizi. Elahe . Fraser. Ceridwen I. . Dutoit. Ludovic . Craw. Dave . Waters. Jonathan M.. 1930 . 32635859 . 7423469 . free.