The life history of Asparagopsis includes the filamentous
‘‘genus’’ Falkenbergia J. and G. Feldmann (1939a,
1942). Asparagopsis carpospores from Algeria germinated
into a tetrasporophytic phase identified as Falkenbergia
rufolanosa (Harvey) Schmitz (based on
Polysiphonia rufolanosa Harvey [1855] from Western
Australia [Fig. 1, e and f] [Feldmann and Feldmann
1939a, 1942]). Tetrasporogenesis in A. armata requires
precise environmental conditions (Lu¨ning 1981, Guiry
and Dawes 1992). Chihara (1961, 1962) established
that A. taxiformis from Japan has the same life history as
A. armata and identified its tetrasporophyte as Falkenbergia
hillebrandii (Bornet) Falkenberg (basionym:
Polysiphonia hillebrandii Bornet in Ardissone [1883]
from Elba, near Italy [Fig. 1d]). However, the Falkenbergia
phases of the two species are thought to be
indistinguishable (Feldmann and Feldmann 1942, Dixon
1964, Dixon and Irvine 1977).