A catalogue of Phaeophyta (brown algae) from Queensland, Australia

A catalogue of 126 species of benthic marine brown macroalgae (Phaeophyta) has been compiled for the coastline of tropical-subtropical Queensland, Australia. This number represents a significant decrease compared to the 139 brown macroalgal species previously recorded for the State (Lewis 1985). Cutleria mollis Allender & Kraft, Padina gymnospora (Kutzing) Sender, and Taonia australasica J.Agardh are newly recorded for Queensland. With the exception of the genus Sargassum, a taxonomically difficult genus in urgent need of revision, misidentifications have been corrected and erroneous records excluded from the flora. Species of the Fucales (59 species), particularly the genus Sargassum (51 species), and the Dictyotales (31 species) comprise approximately three quarters of the total number of species recorded and often are ecologically important as dominant species in lower intertidal and subtidal communities. The flora is composed of predominantly tropical species, but also includes temperate species which range into subtropical southern Queensland. However, the geographical ranges of most species remain poorly documented and little is known of their patterns of abundance or habitat specificity. Consequently, it is not currently possible to determine the conservation status of many Queensland brown algal species.