Taxonomy of the Brown algal genus Padina with the description of the new species Padina sp.PGnov. Dictyotales,Pheaophyceae) from the northern coast of Persian Gulf, IRAN.

Padina is a marine brown macroalgal genus, comprising of about 37 species. Information about the representatives of this genus along the Persian Gulf coast is limited to a few floristic surveys. The present work presents the results of a discussion about the Padina along the Persian Gulf coast, with emphasis on the molecular taxonomy. Sequences of the large subunit of RUBISCO (rbcL) have been used in the molecular analysis of species and for phylogenetic purposes. Based on the rbcL sequences, four species are recognized along the Persian Gulf coast: Padinasp.FA, Padina sp.PG,Padina sp.INDEGRO32 and Dictyota ciliolata.A new species, Padina sp.PG nov. is described based on morphology and molecular analyses. Twelve new sequences were generated among the samples examined.