Marine Algal Flora of French Polynesia II. Chlorophyceae (green algae)

This second paper in a monographic series on the marine algae of French Polynesia gives a detailed coverage of the species of Chlorophyceae occurring in these islands. A total of 81 taxa are presented; of these, 23 represent new records for the local flora, 1 (Halimeda heteromorpha) is a new species and 2 (Microdictyon sp. and Struveopsis sp.) are newly discovered taxa. The benthic marine green algal flora has most affinities with the neighbouring Cook Islands (Sørensen Index of 0.43) but only with 44% of shared species with that archipelago, while 69 and 64% of species are shared with the Fijian and Micronesian islands, respectively. About 75% of the flora is shared with the Indian and Pacific Ocean in general; 3 species (or about 4% of the total flora) seem restricted to French Polynesia.