TAXONOMY AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE MELOBESIOID ALGAE ON RONGELAP ATOLL, MARSHALL ISLANDS

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Abstract
Seven growth forms of the species Neogoniolithon frutescens (Foslie) Setchell and Mason, Porolithon onkodes (Heydrich) Foslie, P. craspedium (Foslie) Foslie, and P. gardineri (Foslie) Foslie found on Rongelap Atoll are described in detail. Two of the growth forms are new combinations: N. frutescens f. flabelliformis (Foslie) Lee and P. gardineri f. abbreviata (Foslie) Lee. Porolithon craspedium and P. gardineri seem to be especially adapted to the atoll environment. The largest individuals and greatest density of organisms were produced by P. craspedium f. craspedium at the leeward reef margin and P. gardineri f. subhemisphaerica at the windward reef margin. With the exception of P. onkodes, a somewhat ubiquitous species, the distributional pattern displayed by the different species on the reef flat at Rongelap indicates that each has a narrow tolerance range for local variations in the environment.

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