The benthic marine algae of Uruguay

The Uruguayan coastline extends for about 700 km between Brazil in the east and Argentina in the west. The coastal environment is affected by the seasonal and episodic variations in outflow of the Rio de la Plata and its interaction with the subtropical convergence of the Brazilian and the Malvinas/Falkland currents. The benthic marine algae of that region have been largely neglected in comparison with other areas in the American Atlantic, and earlier accounts are mainly lists based on scarce material. Here we report the benthic marine algae occurring in Uruguay based on extensive collections and herbaria surveys. Seventy two specific and intraspecific taxa were found, 32 being new records for the region. In our view, Uruguay has a poor and transitional marine flora that includes members of the subtropical Brazilian flora and of the warm temperate flora of Argentina, together with several cosmopolitan species.