UC specimens and range limits for Mutimo cylindricus

• Blue markers: specimen records
• Yellow marker: type locality, if present
• Red markers: endpoints of range from literature

View map from the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria

Notes: Japan, Korea; Santa Catalina, San Clemente and Anacapa (KAM, pers. comm.) islands and Pacific Mexico. These latter populations are relatively recent introductions.

Status: Kogishi et al. (2010) studied the phylogeography of this species in Asia and California, using mitochondrial DNA markers. The single haplotype found in California was the same as one occurring in Japan (Aomori and Fukuoka Prefectures) and Korea (Daedaepo, Pusan). Although both male and female gametophytes were distributed in most northeastern Asian populations, only female gametophytes, developing parthenogenetically from female gametes, were found in California and Aomori Prefecture, Japan. The disjunct population of M. cylindricus in California originated from a relatively recent introduction from Japan and shares its origin with the parthenogenetic population in the Tsugaru Strait. The name Mutimo cylindricus, based on Cutleria cylindrica Okamura, is technically invalid because the page number of the publication in which the basionym was described was not cited. However, Kawai et al. (2012) showed that this species does not belong to the same clade as Cutleria, so I retain the name, hoping it will be validated.

Habitat: On pebbles and shells in sand in subtidal habitats

Life History: A heteromorphic life history alternating between dioecious gametophytes with macroscopic erect thalli and minute crustose (Aglaozonia-type) sporophytes (Falkenberg 1879, Kitayama et al. 1992). However, some populations are female-dominated and are maintained by the parthenogenesis of female gametes that directly develop into female gametophytes (Kitayama et al. 1992).

Search Sequences in GenBank

Not in Marine Algae of California. Gametophytes are up to 15 cm tall, with solid, cylindrical thalli with polystichous trichothallic filaments (Illustrations). They occasionally become hollow by the thickening with the formation of inner rhizoidal filaments. (Illustrations, Fig. 2c). Trichothallic filaments of M. cylindricus are uniseriate at the base, but become multiseriate at the distal end; these are not true hairs in the strict sense (Fig. 2d). The crustose sporophyte of M. cylindricus is tightly attached to the substrates without rhizoids. (after Kawai et al. 2012)

Excerpt from Abbott, I. A., & Hollenberg, G. J. (1976). Marine algae of California. Stanford University Press, Stanford, California. xii [xiii] + 827 pp., 701 figs.

Notes: The name Mutimo cylindricus, based on Cutleria cylindrica Okamura, is technically invalid because the page number of the publication in which the basionym was described was not cited. However, Kawai et al. (2012) showed that this species does not belong to the same clade as Cutleria, so I retain the name, hoping it will be validated.