Durvillaea Antarctica - Taxonomy

Taxonomy

The species was first described in 1822, as Fucus antarcticus, and revised in 1892 as Durvillaea antarctica. The genus name Durvillaea was given in memory of the French explorer Jules Dumont d'Urville, while the Latin derived epithet refers to antarctic. Recently, taxonomic revision led to the recognition of a new species, Durvillaea poha, within what was previously considered Durvillaea antarctica. Durvillaea poha is the only other species in the genus to share the honeycombed structure and buoyancy of D. antarctica. D. poha occurs only in southern New Zealand and on some New Zealand islands (including the Auckland and Snares Islands), whereas D. antarctica has a wider distribution, and is found around New Zealand, Chile and the sub-Antarctic islands. In southern New Zealand, D. poha and D. antarctica can be found growing together, although D. poha normally grows higher up or further back on the rock platforms, or in more sheltered bays, where wave force is weaker. D. poha generally has wider fronds than D. antarctica, and can appear more 'orange' across the frond area.