Acanthophora dendroides Harvey (Rhodomelaceae), a new record for the Atlantic and Pacific oceans

Abstract

We record Acanthophora dendroides Harvey for the first time in the Atlantic Ocean. Two specimens from the Philippines were resolved as conspecific to the Atlantic A. dendroides in molecular analyses extending its geographic range to the Philippines. In light of new evidence provided by field-collected specimens of Acanthophora spicifera (M.Vahl) Børgesen (generitype) from Florida and Venezuela, the flattened species A. pacifica (Setchell) Kraft, showed no affinity to Acanthophora sensu stricto, suggesting that the genus should be restricted to cylindrical species only.