This genus is known in the fossil record from the Silurian to the Quaternary (from about 418.7 to 0.0 million years ago). Fossils of species within this genus have been found in Europe, United States, South America, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, India, Japan and Australia.[2]
Description
The monomerous, crustose thalli are composed of a single system of filaments which grow close to the underlying surface. Lithophyllum reproduces by means of conceptacles. The epithallus is periodically shed to avoid organisms growing on top of the alga.[3][4]
Species
The valid species currently considered to belong to this genus are:[1]
Lithophyllum acanthinum Foslie, 1907
Lithophyllum accedens Foslie, 1907
Lithophyllum acrocamptum Heydrich, 1902
Lithophyllum aequum Foslie, 1907
Lithophyllum albanense Lemoine, 1924
Lithophyllum almanense Lemoine, 1920
Lithophyllum alternans M. Lemoine, 1929
Lithophyllum amplostratum W.R. Taylor, 1945
Lithophyllum aninae Foslie, 1907
Lithophyllum antillarum Foslie & Howe, 1906
Lithophyllum atalayense Lemoine, 1920
Lithophyllum azorum M. Lemoine
Lithophyllum bahrijense Bosence, 1983
Lithophyllum balmeri (Heydrich) Heydrich
Lithophyllum bamleri (Heydrich) Heydrich, 1897
Lithophyllum belgicum Foslie, 1909
Lithophyllum bipartitum M. Lemoine
Lithophyllum brachiatum (Heydrich) M. Lemoine, 1929
Lithophyllum tedeschii P. Fravega, M. Piazza & G. Vannucci, 1993
Lithophyllum tortuosum (Esper) Foslie, 1900
Lithophyllum trinidadense Lemoine, 1917
Lithophyllum tuberculatum Foslie, 1906
Lithophyllum tumidulum' ' Foslie, 1901
Lithophyllum uvaria M. Lemoine, 1924
Lithophyllum veleroae E.Y. Dawson, 1944
Lithophyllum yessoense Foslie, 1909
Bibliography
Philippi, R.A. (1837). Beweis, dass die Nulliporen Pflanzen sind. Archiv für Naturgeschichte 3: 387-393, figs 2-6, pl. IX.
Foslie, M. (1900). Revised systematical survey of the Melobesieae. Kongelige Norske Videnskabers Selskabs Skrifter 1900(5): 1-22.
Woelkerling, W.J. (1998). Lamarck's nullipores. In: Non-geniculate Coralline Red Algae and the Paris Muséum: Systematics and Scientific History. (Woelkerling, W.J. & Lamy, D. Eds), pp. 101–404. Paris: Publications Scientifiques du Muséum/A.D.A.C.
^Johnson, C.; Mann, K. (1986). "The crustose coralline alga, Phymatolithon Foslie, inhibits the overgrowth of seaweeds without relying on herbivores". Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 96 (2): 127. doi:10.1016/0022-0981(86)90238-8.