Infraspecies FORMS OF <i>ALARIA ESCULENTA</i> (LAMINARIALES, OCHROPHYTA) IN the marine FLORA OF EASTern KAMCHATKA: FIRST REVISION
Until recently, it was believed that Alaria angusta and A. marginata are distributed on the coast of eastern Kamchatka based on the revision of the Far Eastern laminariaceaen algae by Yu.E. Petrov. Despite obvious morphological differences between these species from Kamchatka, our molecular-phylogenetic analysis based on the chloroplast Rubisco, nuclear rDNA and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI) genes showed 99,8-100% identity between them; also, they are genetically identical to A. esculenta. Our new sequences of Alaria from Kamchatka were registered in the NCBI under the following accession numbers: MG993131-MG993134, MG993136-MG993137. Species A. esculenta was first recorded from the eastern Kamchatka in 1840 by A. Postels and F.I. Ruprecht, who described its three «differences»: a angustifolia, β latifolia and g pinnatifida. We performed comparative analysis of their descriptions and studied morphology of specimens collected during expedition held by M.N. Stanyukovich and F.P. Litke, which are currently stored in the herbarium of Komarov's Botanical Institute (LE). From our observations, we concluded the following: A. angusta and A. marginata were erroneously reported for the algal flora of eastern Kamchatka. In fact, these misidentified taxa belong to a widespread polymorphic species A. esculenta, which is represented by two stable forms on the coast of eastern Kamchatka. Thus, we proposed new nomenclatural combinations to raise the «differences» a angustifolia and β latifolia to the rank of species forms. They correspond to the descriptions of A. angusta and A. marginata, respectively, provided by Yu.E. Petrov. The third «difference» A. esculenta g pinnatifida was recognized as nomen illegitimum and synonymised with A. esculenta.