Molecular phylogenetic analyses of the genus Hypnea (Cystocloniaceae, Rhodophyta) in Cuba

A phylogenetic analysis of representatives of the red algal genus Hypnea in the Cuban archipelago was carried out utilizing two genetic markers: plastid rbcL and the mitochondrial cox1. Percent of base pair differences and Bayesian analyses indicate the presence of three species of Hypnea in Cuba: H. musciformis, H. spinella, and H. cryptica. The species H. cryptica, first described from Brazil, is confirmed here for the island of Cuba. This first record for the island of Cuba expands the distribution of this species into the Caribbean Sea.