Researchers from the Central University of Punjab, Bathinda have discovered two new species of seaweed : Hypnea indica (after India) and Hypnea bullata (because of the blisterlike marks on its body – bullate).
- Hypnea indica was discovered Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu, and Somnath Pathan and Sivrajpur in Gujarat.
- Hypnea bullata was discovered from Kanyakumari and Diu island of Daman and Diu.
- The newly discovered seaweeds are part of the genus Hypnea or red seaweeds.
- They grow in the intertidal regions of the coast, namely the area that is submerged during the high tide and exposed during low tides. The discovery was recorded in the journal Botanica Marina.
- The genus Hypnea consists of calcareous, erect, branched red seaweeds. “There are 61 species of which 10 were reported in India. With our two new species, the total number of species now would be 63.
- As carbon dioxide in the atmosphere gets dissolved in ocean waters, the seawater becomes more acidic. Algae like Hypnea cannot survive in acidic seawater, hence, the only way to help these species is to reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide levels by adopting sustainable lifestyle choices.
(Source: The Hindu)
