New records of marine cyanobacteria from rocky shores of Hong Kong

As part of a preliminary survey and ecological investigation of cyanobacteria at Cape d'Aguilar, Hong Kong, epilithic biofilms were collected monthly for a period of 12 months. Morphological and ecological descriptions are provided for 33 coccoid and filamentous cyanobacteria species. These are Aphanocapsa sesciacensis, Aphanothece saxicola, Calothrix contarenii, C. crustacea, C. javanica, C. scopulorum, Chroococcus minor, Dermocarpa leibleiniae, D. olivacea, Gloeocapsa aeruginosa, G. atrata, G. crepidinum, G. livida, G. pleurocapsoides, G. quaternata, G. stegophila, Hormothamnion entermorphoides, Hyella caespitosa, Lyngbya confervoides, L. martensiana, L. semiplena, Nodularia spumigena, Oscillatoria subbrevis, O. vizagapatensis, Phormidium corium, P. foveolarum, P. fragile, P. tenue, Plectonema terebrans, Spirulina labyrinthiformis, S. subsalsa, Stichosiphon sansibaricus and Symploca laete-viridis, all of which are new records for Hong Kong. Of these,10 species (Calothrix javanica, Chroococcus minor, Gloeocapsa aeruginosa, G. atrata, G. livida, G. quaternata, G. pleurocapsoides, G. stegophila, Oscillatoria vizagapatensis and Stichosiphon sansibaricus) are reported for the first time as marine epiliths or, in the case of Chroococcus minor, the first record as an endolith in the marine environment. Of the 19 filamentous species, 13 species (Lyngbya confervoides, L. martensiana, L. semiplena, Oscillatoria subbrevis, O. vizagapatensis, Phormidium corium, P. foveolarum, P. fragile, P. tenue, Plectonema terebrans, Spirulina labyrinthiformis, S. subsalsa and Symploca laete-viridis) were non-heterocystous and the remaining 6 species were heterocystous. Most of the filamentous species were restricted to the mid- and lower eulittoral and the winter months. Most coccoid and a few filamentous species of Calothrix and Lyngbya were distributed over the complete tidal range and throughout the year, although they did show distinct preferences for specific tidal heights and seasons.