Two new alien macroalgae identified by the DNA barcoding - Due nuove macroalghe aliene identificate mediante il DNA barcoding

Identification of species in macroalgae may be difficult due to simple morphology and anatomy, rampant convergence, remarkable degrees of phenotypic plasticity in response to environmental factors, and incompletely understood life histories. Moreover, along the Italian coasts, particularly in transitional environments, introductions of new alien species continually occur. Therefore, specialists of algae rely increasingly on DNA sequences to discriminate taxa. A standard marker, the DNA barcode, is a powerful tool for quick and accurate species identification. During a census of macroalgal diversity in 3 Italian sites, the DNA barcodes revealed the presence of two non-indigenous taxa.