David L. Ballantine

• Ph.D.
• Research Associate at Smithsonian Institution

A new subtidal species of Dasya is reported from offshore algal plains of Puerto Rico and Grenada in the Caribbean. Closely invested with pigmented lateral branchlets giving the alga a shaggy appearance, the species bears close resemblance and genetic affinity to the Bermudian Dasya cryptica and a superficial resemblance to Pacific D. anastomosans...

p>This treatment is a taxonomic study of the benthic species of Chlorophyta known from Puerto Rico, Caribbean Sea. In all, 2 classes, 8 orders, 25 families, 50 genera, and 150 species occur in the benthic marine communities in Puerto Rico. Along with date, place, and author(s) of valid publication for all genera, species, and infraspecific taxa, ty...

As coral reef condition and sustainability continue to decline worldwide, losses of critical habitat and their ecosystem services have generated an urgency to understand and communicate reef response to management actions, environmental contamination, and natural disasters. Increasingly, coral reef protection and restoration programs emphasize the...

The Biological Condition Gradient (BCG) is a conceptual model used to describe incremental changes in biological condition along a gradient of increasing anthropogenic stress. As coral reefs collapse globally, scientists and managers are focused on how to sustain the crucial structure and functions, and the benefits that healthy coral reef ecosyste...

There is limited information on the intra-annual variability of mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs), worldwide. The benthic communities, measured as % cover, of two geomorphologically different mesophotic sites (El Hoyo and Hole-in-the-Wall) were examined during 2009–2010 in southwest Puerto Rico. Depths sampled were 50 and 70 m. At each site/depth...

Two rarely reported and one newly described species of benthic marine algae are herein recognized from deep-water habitats at Bonaire, representing the first Caribbean reports of each. Archestenogramma profundum is previously known only from its type collection in Bermuda at 17 m depth and the rarely reported Halymenia integra is known originally f...

Udotea geppiorum is reported to form meadows in deep-water, soft sediment habitats in the Main Hawaiian Islands. The identification of the species, initially published as U. argentea in the archipelago, is revised and confirmed based on morphological assessment and comparative DNA sequencing with western Pacific specimens. Udotea geppiorum is fully...

Five species of benthic marine algae (Phaeophyceae: Lobophora littlerorum ; Rhodophyta: Meristotheca cylindrica, Naccaria corymbosa, Xiphosiphonia pinnulata and Dipterosiphonia reversa ) represent new distribution records from the coastal waters surrounding Puerto Rico in the northern Caribbean Sea. The latter two species are now reported for the f...

Mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs) in Puerto Rico cover a potential area of 2180 km² or 38% of the total area from the shoreline to 150 m. MCEs occur primarily along the upper insular slope of the Puerto Rico-Virgin Islands platform. Patchy MCE development occurs along the insular slope, with distribution strongly related to geomorphology. Shallow...

Macroalgae in mesophotic coral ecosystems are generally understudied compared to corals and fishes yet may be more abundant than coral-dominated reefs given their lower depth limits (> 200 m) and ability to grow over soft and hard bottom habitats. These assemblages are abundant and diverse globally, with changing species composition with increasing...

Genera in the Rhodymeniaceae Harvey that have a hollow thallus lacking diaphragms have been placed in Chrysymenia J. Agardh 1842 (including Gloiosaccion Harvey 1859), Botryocladia (J. Agardh) Kylin 1931, Irvinea Guiry in Saunders et al. 1999, and Cresia C. Lozada-Troche, D.L. Ballantine & H. Ruíz 2010. Chrysymenia has traditionally been defined by...

Two new Ethelia (Etheliaceae, Rhodophyta) species are described from Puerto Rico and a third from the Bahamas. None were found at both locations. All three differ from previously described Ethelia species in possessing ventral rhizoids as well as possessing variably extensive ventral parenchymatous outgrowths. Ethelia crassa has been collected at a...

Smithsonian Contributions to Botany , number 105, viii + 41 pages, 5 figures, 3 tables, 2 appendixes, 2016. — Deepwater open-circuit scuba, dredging, submersible, and technical mixed-gas (closed-circuit) rebreather diving collections of marine benthic algae made over the last approximately 30 years in Puerto Rico are summarized in this account. In...

Picture a coral reef — most people will probably imagine brightly coloured corals, fish and other animals swimming in well-lit shallow waters. In fact, the coral reefs that live close to the surface of the sea — the ones that we can swim, snorkel, or dive near and see from space — are only a small portion of the complete coral reef ecosystem. Light...

Studies of the MCEs off La Parguera on the southwest coast of Puerto Rico have been focused along the insular slope, located approximately 10 km offshore (Figure 1). This area is located within the La Parguera Natural Reserve, an area under nominal management by the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (Schärer-Umpierre et...

Two new species of Ramicrusta (Peyssonneliaceae, Rhodophyta), Ramicrusta bonairensis from Bonaire, The Netherlands Antilles and Puerto Rico and Ramicrusta monensis from Puerto Rico are described on the basis of both morphological and genetic criteria. Both grow closely appressed to their substrata, a characteristic that differs from their Caribbean...

Two Puerto Rican species of the encrusting red alga Metapeyssonnelia are known to overgrow and kill the hydrocoral Millepora complanata. The overgrowth is accompanied by bleaching or tissue lightening regions surrounding the growing margin of the algae on the coral tissue. Lipophilic and hydrophilic extracts from Metapeyssonnelia corallepida and M....

Mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs) were compared between La Parguera and Ponce, off the south coast of Puerto Rico. In contrast to La Parguera, Ponce has a narrow insular shelf and hosts several river outlets, a commercial port, a regional sewage treatment plant with associated deep water outfall, and three deep dredge disposal sites. Off Ponce, MC...

Continued collection of algae around the island of Puerto Rico principally focused on deep and shallow coral reef habitats led to the additional recognition of nine species previously unknown for the flora, including five Rhodophyta: Liagora tsengii, Crouania elisiae, Crouania pumila, Augophyllum wysori, Chrysymenia ventricosa; one Heterokontophyta...

On the basis of comparative morphological and molecular analyses, a new red algal species in the genus Wrangelia (Wrangeliaceae, Ceramiales) is described from the tropical western Atlantic. Distinctive characteristics of the proposed new species, W. gordoniae , include: overall habit; built up pseudoparenchymatous cortex that is com-posed of 2, and...

A new Metapeyssonnelia species that comprises up to 7% bottom cover at shallow-water reef habitats in southwest Puerto Rico is described herein. It forms conspicuous orange encrustations on hard substrata and does not grow on living coral as does its two Caribbean congeners. The new species possesses conspicuous, to 30 cm in extent, tightly adheren...

We propose the new genus Melyvonnea to accommodate species previously included in Mesophyllum having: a) perithallial protuberances that may branch and dominate over the encrusting base, b) monoecious gametophytes with gametangial conceptacles occasionally developed in superimposition, c) spheroid carposporangial chambers (lacking a central pedesta...

Quantitative habitat mapping and description form the basis for understanding the provisioning of ecosystem services and habitat connectivity, and hence provide an essential underpinning for marine spatial planning, management and conservation. Including patch reef habitats, total hard coral-scape habitat for the St. Eustatius Marine Park amounted...

The genus Ganonema was distinguished from the other genera in the Liagoraceae morphologically by several reproductive and vegetative features, including spermatangia formed in dense, dendroidal clusters; carpogonial branches remaining unfused after fertilisation, having compact gonimoblasts; and medullary filaments being relatively broad. In additi...

A new species of Hydrolithon is described from mesophotic habitats, between 30 and at least 76 m depth, off La Parguera, Puerto Rico, and St Thomas, Virgin Islands (Caribbean Sea). Its encrusting thallus covers corals and rocks. Hydrolithon abyssophila sp. nov. is distinctive in developing bisporangia that are about twice as large as its congeners...

Mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs) occur along insular shelf margins and isolated banks at depths of ~ 50 to 100 m. Given their depth and typical distance from shore-based facilities, specialized diving techniques and logistical arrangements are required to conduct in situ surveys and sampling of these unique settings. From 2010 to 2012, the Univer...

A new Peyssonnelia species from shallow water habitats in southwest Puerto Rico is described. Peyssonnelia stratosa is yellowish beige or reddish in color and is composed of small overlapping blades 2–3 cm in diameter and forms extensive colonies. Peyssonnelia stratosa exhibits small cells at mid level in the perithallus, both immediate distal and...

A new species of Veleroa, V. setteana Abbott & Ballantine, has been collected from the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Veleroa setteana is among the larger of the Veleroa species, reaching a height of 30 cm. The new species is highly corticated with cortication beginning in young thallus portions. Tetrasporangia, which measure up to 60 µm in diamete...

Boergesenia parvula sp. nov. is described from shallow water habitats in Puerto Rico and represents the smallest species of the genus, reaching only 20 mm in height. Recognition of the new entity is supported by molecular sequences of the 18S rRNA gene. Molecular divergence between B. forbesii and the newly described species is 3.4%.

A new species of the globally reported genus Lithothamnion is described. Lithothamnion carpoklonion grows in shallow-sheltered waters off La Parguera, Puerto Rico (Caribbean Sea) attached to mangrove prop roots in association with other encrusting algae. The new species has requisite generic characters in addition to developing dorsal protuberances...

One forma, Rhipocephalus phoenix f. longifolius, and 14 species of algae are newly reported from Puerto Rico. The latter include the rhodophytes Acrochaetium repens, Ceramium leptozonum, Callithamnion stuposum, Ceratodictyon intricatum, Hydrolithon chamaedoris, Kallymenia limminghei, Lithophyllum incrustans, Lithothamion ruptile, Mesophyllum ornatu...

Metapeyssonnelia milleporoides is newly described based on specimens growing epizoically on corals, primarily Millepora complanata and Porites sp., in shallow-water coral reef environments off Puerto Rico. The new species possesses light hypobasal calcification, sunken tetrasporangial nemathecia and has hypothallial cells arranged in broad flabellu...

A new Peyssonnelia species is described from deep-water habitats in Puerto Rico as well as the U.S. Virgin Islands. Peyssonnelia incomposita is distinctive when living due its background orange coloration with highly contrasting bright yellow highlights. Internally the thallus is distinguished by abundant cell fusions that occur both laterally and...

A new species of the globally reported genus Lithothamnion is described. Lithothamnion carpoklonion grows in shallow-sheltered waters off La Parguera, Puerto Rico (Caribbean Sea) attached to mangrove prop roots in association with other encrusting algae. The new species has requisite generic characters in addition to developing dorsal protuberances...

Two new distinctive Peyssonnelia species are described from deepwater habitats in southwestern Puerto Rico. Peyssonnelia iridescens possesses a distinctive bluish iridescent fringe and forms loosely adherent blades up to 6.0 cm across. The crusts possess a Peyssonnelia atropurpurea-type vegetative organization. Tetrasporangia arc cut oft distally f...

A new red algal genus and species, Cresia opalescens D.L. Ballant., C. Lozada-Troche et H. Ruiz is described from coral reef habitats in Puerto Rico at 3 to 20 m depths. The new genus, whose reproductive and morphological characters all fall within those of Chrysymenia, possesses patterned and brilliant iridescence. Cresia opalescens produces small...

The red alga Lophocladia kuesteri (tribe Lophothalieae, family Rhodomelaceae) from the Hawaiian islands is newly described and compared to the type species of the genus. L. trichoclados (Mertens ex C. Agardh) Schmitz. Newly observed features of stichidial structure in L. trichoclados show that primary stichidia may bear one or two secondary stichid...

Morphological examination of sympatrically growing speci-mens referable to Champia parvula collected as seagrass epi-phytes has resulted in the recognition of a new Champia species. The new species bears resemblance to type speci-mens of C. parvula, differing mainly in branching pattern (opposite vs. typically alternate) and branch origin (between...

SUMMARYA new rhodymeniacean species, Chamaebotrys prolifera, is described from a shallow water habitat in Puerto Rico, representing the first occurrence of the genus in the Atlantic Ocean. Plants, to 5 cm across, are decumbent and comprised of compressed vesicles that are originally proliferously branched at the perimeter. Older vesicles become bra...

Coelothrix irregularis (Harv.) Børgesen, until recently a member of the Rhodymeniaceae, has had several familial assignments within the Rhodymeniales. While suggested by some that the genus belonged in the Champiaceae on the basis of morphological characters, the transfer of Coelothrix to that family has only recently been made and that effected on...

abStraCt corallophila verongiae represents the first report for Venezuela, it was found growing on coralline substrata in the sublittoral, 6-9 m depth, at two coral reef sites in Morrocoy Na-tional Park, Venezuela. The characteristics of the Venezuelan specimens correspond with the more recent description of this species. This report extends the c....

Eleven species of benthic marine algae from deep and shallow habitats are newly reported for Puerto Rico. These include rhodophytes: Hypneocolax stellaris, Predaea laciniosa, Botryocladia monoica, B. papenfussiana, Rhododictyon bermudense, Hypoglossum caloglos-soides; heterokonts: Chrysocystis fragilis, Dictyota friabilis, D. hamifera; and chloroph...

Examination of specimens referable to Champia salicor-nioides from offshore algal plains in southwest Puerto Rico (Caribbean Sea) resulted in recognition of algae with different branching origins. Plants with branching from the septal regions are referred to a new species, Champia harveyana. Segregation of the new species is supported by 18S and rb...

Percentage cover of coral reef associated algae increased significantly from 2003 to 2007 at two shelf edge sites in southwest Puerto Rico (42.8% to 75.3% at Weinberg Reef and 67.4% to 81.8% at El Hoyo). While the increase was driven largely by increase in cover of Lobophora variegata, percent cover of the individual spatially dominant algal specie...

A survey was conducted to investigate possible presence of an inshore to shelf edge gradient in % nitrogen (%N) and stable nitrogen isotope ratio (δ 15 N; ‰ vs. air) in tissues of the rhodophyte Acanthophora spicifera and the ocrophytes Lobophora variegata and Dictyota bartayresiana in coastal waters of La Parguera, southwest Puerto Rico. Average %...

A new species, Botryocladia iridescens D.L.Ballant. et H.Ruiz is described from coral reef habitats in Puerto Rico. The new species possesses a brilliant and patterned iridescence and has been collected in mid- to deep-water cryptic reef habitats. Botryocladia iridescens is diminutive, to 7 mm high and with vesicles to 6 mm in diameter, and most co...

Examination of specimens referable to Champia salicornioides from offshore algal plains in southwest Puerto Rico (Caribbean Sea) resulted in recognition of algae with different branching origins. Plants with branching from the septal regions are referred to a new species, Champia harveyana. Segregation of the new species is supported by 18S and rbc...

Specimens from the exsiccatae Phycotheca BorealiAmericana number 698 are shown to represent two distinct species. One of them, formerly known as Callithamnion halliae, is transferred to Aglaothamnion on the basis of its uninucleate cells. The specimens exhibit distichous branching and are ecorticate. A lectotype is proposed for one of the P.B.-A. #...

ABSTRACTA new species of Dudresnaya is described from Puerto Rico and Georgia. Gametophytes have cylindrical axes, exserted apical cells, rectangular to hexagonal crystals in the axial cells, ellipsoidal outer assimilatory cells, spermatangial mother cells which are terminal or subterminal cells of the subdichotomously branched outer assimilatory b...

Puerto Rico, the easternmost island (18°15' N and 66°30' W) of the Greater Antilles, is about 50 km wide and 180 km long on its east/west axis, and has a coastline of 1,384 km including the adjacent islands of Vieques, Culebra, Desecheo, and Mona (Fig. 9.1). Puerto Rico is a “high” island with a central mountain range running east/west with peak el...

SUMMARYA new species, Halichrysis corallinarius sp. nov. is described from coral reef habitats in southwest Puerto Rico as well as from Grand Cayman Island. The new species produces strap-shaped thalli supported above the substrata by abundant peg-like stipes. The lobed branches are frequently anastomosed with colonies measuring to 4.0 cm broad wit...

Peyssonnelia imbricata sp. nov. occurs in shallow protected coral reef, mangrove and deep-reef habitats in southwestern Puerto Rico, Caribbean Sea. The species is characterized by its small imbricate blades which may form extensive colonies, vegetative production of new blades from the dorsal surface of parent blades, polyflabellate arrangement of...

Lophocladines A (1) and B (2), two 2,7-naphthyridine alkaloids, were isolated from the marine red alga Lophocladiasp. collected in the Fijian Islands. Their structures were deduced on the basis of high-resolution mass spectra and one- and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy. Lophocladine A (1) displayed affinity for NMDA receptors and was found to be...

A new species of Ganonema, G. vermiculare, is described based on specimens collected from 11 - 17 m depths in southwestern Puerto Rico. When living, algae appear chalky white with a maroon margin. The new species is not distinguished by any autapomorphies, but is distinct from its 13 congeners by a combination of characters, foremost of which are t...

Two highly colourful encrusting red algal species from deep and shallow coral reef habitats in Puerto Rico arc reported. Peyssonnelia boergesenii Weber Bosse is characterized by its multicoloured appearance, polyflabellate arrangement of hypothallial cells and multicellular holdfasts, Peyssonnelia flavescens sp. nov. is variably bi- to tri-coloured...

Fifty-one deep-water benthic species of Rhodophyta associated with the deep (> 30 m) fore-reef at Lee Stocking Island, Bahamas are reported. Including species described based on our collections from Lee Stocking Island, 25 of these species are first reports from the Bahamas archipelago. Peyssonnelia abyssica sp. nov. and Perikladosporon abaxiale sp...

ABSTRACTA new species, Halimeda hummii, and a new variety of Halimeda cryptica Colinvaux and Graham both originally collected from the edge of the continental shelf on the southwest coast of Puerto Rico are newly described. The new species is irregular in its segment morphology and is the smallest species of Halimeda presently known. Halimeda crypt...

Dasya abbottiana is newly described from subtidal habitats in southwestern Puerto Rico, Caribbean Sea. The new species is characterized principally by its rhizoidal cortication and possession of verticillately arranged, iridescent ultimate branchlets. Female gametophytes have urceolate pericarps with elongate carpostomes. Tetrasporangia, each with...

Chylocladia schneideri sp. nov., a diminutive species of Chylocladia (Rhodymeniaceae, Rhodophyta), is described from a shallow-water mangrove channel habitat in Puerto Rico, Caribbean Sea. The new species was collected as an epiphyte of Avrainvillea longicaulis (Kütz.) G. Murray & Boodle, Halimeda incrassata (J. Ellis) J.V. Lamour and Thalassia tes...

A new species of Halymenia is described from Grenada in the Caribbean. The species is easily recognizable when living because of its reddish dark brown mottling on the otherwise red thallus, or by its sharply contrasting yellow mottling, depending on the angle of incident light. Dried plants appear mottled but lose the contrasting colouration. Thal...

Ten species of benthic algae, principally associated with coral reef habitats, are newly reported for the Puerto Rican marine flora. These include eight Rhodophyta: Renouxia antillana, Lithophyllum congestum, Lithothamnion occidentale, Metapeyssonnelia corallepida, Maripelta atlantica, Pihiella liagoraciphila, Antithamnionella graeffei, and Myriogr...

Biomass and cover of Microcoleus lyngbyaceus (Kützing) Crouan were monitored at inshore seagrass habitats in southwest Puerto Rico for 16 months. Substantial localized blooms with maximum cover of 100% and comprising >600 g/m2 were encountered. Abundance of Microcoleus (biomass and percent cover) were not significantly correlated with either water...

Forty two Chlorophyta and nine Heterokontophyta (Phaeophyceae) species of benthic marine algae were identified from collections made at the deep (> 27 m) fore-reef at Lee Stocking Island, Bahamas. Ten of these species represent first reports from the Bahamas Archipelago and the report of Pedobesia simplex (Meneghini ex Kützing) M.J.Wynne & F.Leliae...

Schimmelmannia venezuelensis sp. nov. (Gloiosiphoniaceae, Rhodophyta) is described on the basis of sexual plants collected from the State of Vargas, Venezuela. This material had previously been identified as Schimmelmannia plumosa (Setch.) I.A. Abbott but has been observed to have a post-fertilization development that differs from all other species...

A detailed morphological account of Ganonema farinosum (J.V. Lamouroux) K.C. Fan et Yung C. Wang is presented. Calcification in this non-lubricous species consists of a cylinder surrounding the medulla and encompassing the inner cortical filaments. Carpogonial branches are unambiguously accessory being produced laterally from a median position on s...

A new species, Botryocladia bahamense D.L. Ballantine et N.E. Aponte, from deep water in the Bahamian archipelago (tropical western Atlantic) is described. The new species is unique in having vesicles that initially are incompletely corticated with cortical cells arranged in a rosette pattern surrounding the margins of medullary cells; however, ves...

A diminutive new species of Predaea (Gigartinales, Rhodophyta) is described from coral reef habitats in Puerto Rico, Caribbean Sea. It is composed of compressed lobes which radiate to form an irregularly rounded shape. The new species is characterized by its cylindrical cortical cells, 3-celled carpogonial branches, small number of nutritive cells...

Forty algal species (four Cyanophyta, 20 Rhodophyta, three Chlorophyta, three Phaeophyceae and 10 Bacillariophyceae) are reported as growing on Scorpaena grandicornis Cuvier and Scorpaena plumieri Bloch from Puerto Rico. A third scorpionfish species, Scorpaenodes tredecimspinosus (Metzelaar), did not support algal growth. Algae were principally ass...

Deep-water benthic algal composition and cover were studied with a submersible on the deep fore reef of Lee Stocking Island, Bahamas, from 45 to 150 m. Algal cover decreased from 57% to 16% over this depth range. Although there was substantial overlap in depth distributions, different species or groups of species dominated benthic cover at differen...

Dasya puertoricensis is newly described from subtidal habitats in southwestern Puerto Rico. The new species is characterized by its conspicuously dense, brush-like branch tips, rhizoidal cortication and by its indeterminate adventitious filaments which arise from pseudolateral basal cells. Adventitious monosiphonous laterals are absent. Tetrasporan...

A new genus and species, Liagorothamnion mucoides Huisman, Ballantine & Wynne (Ceramiaceae, Rhodophyta), is described from the Caribbean Sea. Thalli are mucilaginous and filamentous and generally have one indeterminate lateral branch and 1-4 whorl-branchlets per axial cell. Spermatangia are borne on whorls of fertile branchlets on 3-16 successive a...

Polysiphonia-type life history was demonstrated for Dasya caraibica in culture. Plants initially developed as monosiphonous filaments. Cellulosympodial branching was initiated after 5 days and pericentral cells were first cut off after 11-13 days. Pericentral cell initiation occurred immediately behind the apex and proceeded acropetally until the e...

Dasya magnei is newly described from Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Sea. The newspecies is principally characterized by its rhizoidal cortication and possession of verticillately arranged ultimate branchlets. Tetrasporangial stichidia are borne on proximal dichotomies of the ultimate branchlets and possess four sporangia per segment.

Forty eight HPLC peaks from three distinct TLC zones obtained from crude lipid extracts of the tropical marine red alga Spyridia filamentosa were assayed against five pathogenic microorganisms. Of these, nineteen showed detectable activities (seven HPLC peaks from TLC zone 5; five peaks from TLC zone 9; seven peaks from TLC zone 12). Activities by...