Asian Journal of Research in Botany

Aims: The present study was to discover the diversity and distribution of marine red algae from Kalegauk Island, in the northern parts of the Andaman Sea.

Study Design: The taxonomy of red algae in Kalegauk Island was studied and references, ecological notes and potential uses of each species were also described.

Place and Duration of Study: The samples were collected from the different stations along the Kalegauk Island from August 2016 to January 2017.

Methodology: Based on the external morphology and internal structures, the samples were identified under the Olympus compound microscope and Kaneko Yushima dissecting microscope. Microscopic measurements were recorded in micrometre (μm) using the ocular meter. The taxonomic keys of each species were used from the available references.

Results: A total of 27 species of 12 genera in Rhodophyta were identified. They are Gelidium arenarium Kylin., Ahnfeltiopsis sp., Peyssonnelia rubra (Greville) J.Agardh, Peyssonnelia. sp., Catenella caespitosa (Withering) Irvine in Parke & Dixon, Catenella nipae Zanardini., C. impudica (Montagne) J. Agardh, Hypnea pannosa J. Agardh, Gracilariopsis longissima (S.G. Gmelin) Steentoft, L.M. Irvine & Farnham., Ceramium sp., Caloglossa bengalensis (Martens) King, Caloglossa. sp., C. adhaerens King & Puttock, C. leprieurii  (Montagne) Martens, C. continua (Okamura) King & Puttock, Laurencia sp., Polysiphonia  Atlantica Kapraun &. Norris, P. subtilissima Montagne, P. howei Hollenberg, Polysiphonia. sp 1., Polysiphonia. sp 2., Herposiphonia tenella (C. Agardh) Ambronn, Bostrychia radican (Montagne) Montagne, B. calliptera (Montagne) Montagne, Bostrychia. sp., B. tenella (Lamouroux) J.Agardh and B. binderi (Lamouroux) J.Agardh. Among them, almost all species were firstly reported for the diversity of marine red algae of Kalegauk Island with the exception of Gelidium arenarium Kylin, Catenella nipae Zanardini, Gracilaria verrucosa (Hudson) Papenfuss, described in the previous reports [1]. Moreover, Catenella caespitosa (Withering) Irvine in Parke & Dixon (= Catenella opuntia (Goodenough & Woodward) Greville), Polysiphonia atlantica Kapraun & Norris (= P. macrocarpa Harvery) and P. howei Hollenberg (= P. rhizoidea Menez) were new records for the diversity of marine red algae of Myanmar.

Conclusion: Currently Kalegauk Island is crucial for recording its natural resources due to the plan of a deep sea port. The present study could provide information to evaluate the impacts of deep sea-port in the future.