Ericaria giacconei sp. nov. (Sargassaceae, Fucophyceae), the Species to which the Invalidly Published Cystoseira hyblaea Giaccone should be Referred

In this paper, a new species of the Cystoseira complex from Porto Palo di Capo Passero (Sicily, Italy) is described. The species, which shows same characters as hyblaea Giaccone described by (1986) and Bouafif et al. (2016), its morpho-anatomical characters, assigned to genus Ericaria Stackhouse. Because “Cystoseira hyblaea” was not validly published name, giacconei sp. nov. here main characteristics are: 1) caespitose habit; 2) large axes rugged with apices smooth, prominent; 3) vegetative branches without spinose appendages; 4) primary cupressoid outline, especially when they are fertile; 5) receptacles terminal, compact, cylindrical-oval, verrucose, deciduous appendages. related both E. crinita (Duby) Molinari & Guiry barbatula (Kützing) Guiry, but it differs them mainly in basal system consisting robust compact disc apex cauloids smooth prominent, never surrounded spiniform A critical re-examination herbarium specimens Isola delle Correnti (eastern Sicily, attributed (as C. crinita) demonstrated that actually belong our species.