COMPSOPOGON CAERULEUS, A NEW RECORD OF RHODOPHYTA FOR ALGAL FLORA OF IRAN

A freshwater red algae, Compsopogon caeruleus was collected from current water canal on south of Tehran, Iran for the first time. It lives as epiphyte on Cladophora sp. (green algae) in cold water canal at a temperature of 8-10°C and at high speed at a depth of 30-50 cm. Thallus was macroscopic filamentous, grey to greyish–green, in the growing season abundantly branched. Branches made an acute angle with the axis (about, 20-70°). Thallus is 180-1000 μm in diameter and 2-10 cm long. In mature thallus, cortex had 1–2 polygonal or irregular cell layers with short spine-like branchlets. Cortical cells were established in regular or irregular rows. Chloroplasts were parietal. Monosporangia were cortical and semi-spherical to irregular.