Sporolithaceae Explained

The Sporolithaceae is the only known family of algae in the Sporolithales order.^[1] Sporolithaceae was originally placed within the Corallinales order,^[2] until the creation of the Sporolithales order in 2017.^[1]

They are differentiated from the Corallinaceae, by their formation of conceptacles with one or many pores.^{[3] [4]}

Species in the Sporolithales (and also the Sporolithaceae), have the characteristics of the Corallinophycidae,^[5] but differs from other orders (Corallinales, Rhodogorgonales) in producing tetrasporangia within calcified sporangial compartments and in having tetrasporocytes that undergo cruciate cleavage.

The Graticulaceae (fossil family) are structurally similar to the Sporolithaceae, but are Paleozoic and date back to the Wenlock (Silurian).^[6]

Genera

As accepted by AlgaeBase;^[7]

• Archaeolithothamnion - 8 spp.
• Hemiphyllum - 1 sp.
• Heydrichia - 5 spp.
• Roseapetra - 1 sp.
• Sporolithon - 46 spp.

Notes and References

1. Kamiya, M., Lindstrom, S.C., Nakayama, T., Yokoyama, A., Lin, S.-M., Guiry, M.D., Gurgel, F.D.G., Huisman, J.M., Kitayama, T., Suzuki, M., Cho, T.O. & Frey, W. (2017). Rhodophyta. In: Syllabus of Plant Families, 13th ed. Part 2/2 Photoautotrophic eukaryotic Algae. (Frey, W. Eds), pp. [i]-xii, [1]-171. Stuttgart: Borntraeger Science Publishers.
2. Web site: Sporolithaceae, State Herbarium of South Australia . www.flora.sa.gov.au . 14 December 2022.
3. Book: Paleobotany: the biology and evolution of fossil plants . 978-0-12-373972-8 . Taylor, Thomas N . Taylor, Edith L . Krings, Michael . 2009.
4. 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. 85227395.
5. Book: de Queiroz . Kevin . Cantino . Philip D. . Gauthier . Jacques A. . Phylonyms; A Companion to the PhyloCode . 2020 . CRC Press . 1st . Corallinophycidae L. Le Gall and G. W. Saunders 2007 [G. W. Saunders], converted clade name.
6. Brooke . C. . Riding . R. . Ordovician and Silurian coralline red algae . Lethaia . 31 . 3 . 185 . 1998. 10.1111/j.1502-3931.1998.tb00506.x.
7. Web site: Taxonomy Browser :: AlgaeBase . www.algaebase.org . 12 December 2022.