Phylogenetic relationships of Pakistan Gelidium (Gelidiales, Rhodophyta) species with recognition of Gelidium pakistanicum stat. nov.

Two species of Gelidium, Gelidium usmanghanii and Gelidium pusillum var. pakistanicum are reported only from Pakistan, but their taxonomic status, phylogenetic relationships, and distributions have not been assessed with molecular data. Analysis of rbcL sequences revealed that G. usmanghanii was a distinct species with a distribution extending at least to the coast of Oman. This analysis also resolved G. pusillum var. pakistanicum within a Gelidium millariana species complex that was distantly related to G. pusillum. Further analyses of rbcL and COI-5P sequences showed that G. pusillum var. pakistanicum was a distinct species in this complex, and based on these molecular, and previous morphological results, this variety is elevated to the rank of species as Gelidium pakistanicum stat. nov.