KARYOLOGY AND CYTOPHOTOMETRIC ESTIMATION OF NUCLEAR-DNA CONTENT VARIATION IN GRACILARIA, GRACILARIOPSIS AND HYDROPUNTIA (GRACILARIALES, RHODOPHYTA)

Chromosome numbers of 1 N = 24 were determined for three species of Gracilaria (G. flabelliforme P. Crouan et H. Crouan ex Schramm et Maze, G. mammillaris Montagne and G. tikvahiae McLachlan) and 1 N = 32 for two species of Gracilariopsis (G. lemaneiformis (Bory) Dawson, Acleto et Folvik and G. tenuifrons (Bird et Oliveira) Fredericq et Hommersand). Karyotypes for these species exhibit a characteristic size difference between largest ana smallest chromosomes. Polyvalents were a common feature of meiotic nuclei. Microspectrophotometry with the DNA-localising fluorochrome DAPI was used to quantify nuclear genome sizes. A 2 C genome size of 0.37-0.40 pg was determined for five species of Gracilaria (G. chilensis Bird, McLachlan et Oliveira, G. flabelliforme, G. mammillaris, G. pacifica Abbott, G. tikvahiae) and 0.33 pg for an isolate of G. verrucosa (Hudson) Papenfuss from Pas de Calais, France. Species of Hydropuntia (H. cornea (J. Agardh) Wynne and H. dentata (J. Agardh) Wynne) and Gracilariopsis (G. lemaneiformis and G. tenuifrons) were found to have slightly larger 2 C genome contents of 0.42-0.47 pg. No intraspecific variation in 2 C genome sizes was found in regional populations of Gracilaria tikvahiae and Gracilariopsis tenuifrons.