• ALGAE
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.277-288
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• 2011

The marine unicellular red algal genus Rhodella was established in 1970 by L. V. Evans with a single species R. maculata based on nuclear projections into the pyrenoid. Porphyridium violaceum was described by P. Kornmann in 1965 and transferred to Rhodella by W. Wehrmeyer in 1971 based on plastid features and the non-parietal position of the nucleus. Molecular and fine structural evidences have now revealed that Rhodella maculata and R. violacea are one species, so R. violacea has nomenclatural priority and the correct name is Rhodella violacea (Kornmann) Wehrmeyer. The status of families within Rhodellophyceae was examined. The order Dixoniellales and family Dixoniellaceae are emended to include only Dixoniella and Neorhodella. The order Rhodellales and family Rhodellaceae are emended to include Rhodella and Corynoplastis. Glaucosphaera vacuolata Korshikov and the Glaucosphaeraceae Skuja (1954) with an emended description are transferred to the Glaucosphaerales ord. nov.