Seaweed Flora of the Kutubdia Island

Abstract

Several seaweeds taxa occurred in the intertidal zone of Kutubdia Island. But, the island has not been surveyed for the inventory of seaweed resources. The present study aims to report the diversity and distribution of seaweeds from the Kutubdia Island with notes on their morphology and ecology. For samples of seaweeds, a field survey was carried out
during November 2018 along the intertidal zone of Kutubdia Island. Collected specimens were identified by their color, morphological characteristics, reproductive organs, cell size, and other features. For identification, existing literatures were reviewed, and AlgaeBase and WoRMS databases were consulted to cross-check their taxonomy. The present study reports seven species of seaweeds under the phylum of Chlorophyta (= green seaweed) and Rhodophyta (= red seaweed), of these six species are green seaweeds and the other one is red seaweed. These included Catenella impudica, Chaetomorpha aerea, Rhizoclonium fontanum, Rhizoclonium tortuosum, Ulva compressa, Ulva conglobata and Ulva flexuosa. Seaweeds are taxonomically diverse group of marine plants. It is necessary to explore their species diversity, distribution, seasonal occurrence and ecology for expanding the phylogeographic knowledge of seaweeds.