A groundbreaking discovery has been made at the heart of the world-famous Great Barrier Reef and the unique reef systems of the Coral Sea and Lord Howe Island, providing a better understanding of how the World Heritage Site is protected.

An international team of marine scientists led by Griffith University has identified and officially named four species of algae new to science, challenging previous taxonomic assumptions about the genus Porolithon. This discovery has far-reaching implications for our understanding of the ecological role of these algae in the coral reef ecosystem.

Ecological importance of newly discovered algae

Research team leader Associate Professor Guillermo Díaz-Pulido, from the Griffith Center for Coastal and Marine Research, said Porolithon, a genus of crustacean coralline algae, has long been recognized for its critical ecological importance.

“These algae are responsible for strengthening the fragile frameworks of coral reefs, supporting marine biodiversity in the shallow edges of tropical and subtropical waters.”

Traditionally, branching bushy specimens of Porolithon found in the Indo-Pacific were identified as Porolithon gardineri, while massive columnar forms were known as P. craspedium.

However, a recent study by scientists from Griffith, James Cook University, the Australian Institute of Marine Science, as well as the USA and Korea, made a remarkable discovery: neither P. gardineri nor P. craspedium was present in eastern Australian waters. Instead, these samples were found to belong to four different genetic lineages.

Characteristics and importance of the new species

The official names of the four newly discovered species are as follows:

• Porolithon lobulatum sp. November: This species, with branching forms and free edges, is found in the Coral Sea and the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). The name refers to a plant with lobed free edges.
• Porolithon parvulum sp. November: Characterized by short (<2 cm) and unbranched protrusions with adjacent margins, this species is restricted to central and southern parts of Great Britain. Its name comes from the Latin word parvulus, meaning small.
• Porolithon pinnaculum sp. November: This species, which exhibits a mountain-like columnar morphology, with specimens reaching up to 10 cm in length, is found in the oceanic reefs of the Coral Sea. The Latin word pinnaculum means peak and indicates the presence of peak-shaped branches.
• Porolithon Howensis sp. November: This species forms columnar protrusions up to 3 cm high and is found mostly on Lord Howe Island. The species name honors the typical location of Lord Howe Island.

Dr. “In addition to their unique DNA sequences, these new species can be distinguished based on a number of combinations of characters, including the shape of the thalamus, the shape of the margin (connected or not), and internal anatomy,” said Soyoung Jeon. , first author of the study. to work.

“This important discovery challenges our understanding of Porolithon algae and highlights the need for further research and conservation of the Great Barrier Reef and its unique inhabitants,” Associate Professor Diaz-Pulido said.

The urgency of protecting newly discovered diversity

The discovery of these new species not only increases the rich biodiversity of the Great Barrier Reef and other remote coral reef areas, but also highlights the importance of continued research and conservation efforts.

Porolithon species are highly sensitive to the effects of ocean acidification and warming, and given the potential risks of losing this diversity due to climate change, we urgently need to recognize and document this diversity.

“We cannot defend what we do not know,” Associate Professor Diaz-Pulido said. “These findings are critical to preserving and preserving the delicate balance of this unique and fragile ecosystem.”