''Jania'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of red macroalgae (or

seaweed Seaweed, or macroalgae, refers to thousands of species of macroscopic, multicellular, marine algae. The term includes some types of ''Rhodophyta'' (red), '' Phaeophyta'' (brown) and ''Chlorophyta'' (green) macroalgae. Seaweed species such as ...

s) with hard, calcareous, branching skeletons in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Corallinaceae The Corallinaceae are one of the two extant Coralline families of red algae; they are differentiated from the morphologically similar Sporolithaceae by their formation of grouped sporangial chambers, clustered into sori. The Corallinoideae ...

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

The genus name of ''Jania'' is derived from the Greek water nymph called Ianeira (or ''Janeria''). It was first

circumscribed In geometry, a circumscribed circle for a set of points is a circle passing through each of them. Such a circle is said to ''circumscribe'' the points or a polygon formed from them; such a polygon is said to be ''inscribed'' in the circle. * Circum ...

Jean Vincent Félix Lamouroux Jean Vincent Félix Lamouroux (3 May 1779 – 26 March 1825) was a French biologist and naturalist, noted for his seminal work with algae. Biography Lamouroux was born in Agen in the Aquitaine of southwestern France, the son of Claude Lamouroux, ...

in 1812. Based on a recent integrated taxonomic examination of the genus, and by extension its tribe Janieae, the members of ''Cheilosporum'' and ''Haliptilon'' have all been transferred under genus ''Jania''''.'' As a result, there is currently around 55 confirmed species for this genus.

Morphology

''Jania'' is an articulated coralline algae characterized by having erect thalli with dichotomously-arranged branches composed of alternating segments of red or pink, calcified, cylindrical sections (intergeniculum) and white uncalcified sections (geniculum); that is attached to the substrate by small, stolon-like holdfasts. Intergenicula of this genus can be cylindrical, subcylindrical or compressed and smooth, winged or lobed.

Distribution

''Jania'' species are well-distributed throughout the world.

Ecology

Members of the genus are found in sheltered reef habitats, often in crevices or other shaded areas.Segmented algae (''Jania spp.'')
Marine Species Identification Portal. Retrieved 2011-12-31. They are also epilithic, epiphytic, and could form free-living clumps called articuliths.

Life history

Like most red seaweeds, ''Jania'' exhibit a triphasic life cycle wherein aside from the free-living haploid (gametophyte) and diploid (tetrasporophyte) generations, another diploid generation that is parasitic to the gametophyte, the carposporophyte. Tetrasporophyte (2N) generation would release four haploid spores (or tetraspores) that would later on develop into either the male and female gametophytes; moreover, the spermatium (N) produced by the spermatangia will be trapped by the trichogyne of the carpogonium (N) of the female gametophyte and later on fuse to form the zygote and subsequently develop into the carposporophyte (2N); lastly the carposporophyte will produce carpospores (2N) that will become the tetratsporophyte (2N). The unique structure involved in coralline reproduction is the presence of the conceptacle, a calcified depression wherein the tetrasporangia, spermatangia, and carposporangia are formed.

Exploitation/harvesting/cultivation

There is no known cultivation technology for this genus.

Chemical composition/natural products chemistry

Priming tomato seeds with ''Jania'' polysaccharides has shown to greatly improve the resistance of seedlings to soil-borne pathogens and consequently promote plant growth.

Utilization and management

Despite the potential use of ''Jania'' in agriculture and due to a lack of interest on this genus, this genus is not currently being commercially utilized.

Species

The World Register of Marine Species list the following: *'' Jania acutiloba'' (Decaisne) J.H. Kim *'' Jania adhaerens'' J.V.Lamouroux, 1816 *'' Jania affinis'' Harvey, 1855 *'' Jania arborescens'' (Yendo) Yendo, 1905 *'' Jania articulata'' N'Yuert & Payri, 2009 *'' Jania capillacea'' Harvey, 1853 *'' Jania crassa'' J.V.Lamouroux, 1821 *'' Jania cristata'' (Linnaeus) Endlicher, 1843 *'' Jania cubensis'' Montagne ex Kützing, 1849 *'' Jania cultrata'' (Harvey) J.H. Kim *'' Jania decussatodichotoma'' (Yendo) Yendo, 1905 *'' Jania fastigiata'' Harvey, 1849 *'' Jania intermedia'' (Kützing) P.C.Silva, 1996 *'' Jania iyengarii'' E.Ganesan, 1966 *'' Jania lobata'' Zanardini, 1858 *'' Jania longiarthra'' E.Y.Dawson, 1953 *'' Jania longifurca'' Zanardini, 1844 *'' Jania micrarthrodia'' J.V.Lamouroux, 1816 *'' Jania minuta'' Johansen & Womersley, 1994 *'' Jania nipponica'' (Yendo) Yendo, 1905 *'' Jania novae-zelandiae'' Harvey, 1855 *'' Jania pacifica'' Areschoug, 1852 *'' Jania parva'' Johansen & Womersley, 1994 *'' Jania prolifera'' A.B. Joly, 1966 *'' Jania pulchella'' (Harvey) Johansen & Womersley, 1994 *'' Jania pumila'' J.V.Lamouroux, 1816 *''

Jania pusilla Jania may refer to: * Jania (given name), a female given name, also spelled Janiya * Jania (alga), ''Jania'' (alga), J.V.Lamouroux, 1812, a coralline algae genus * ''Jania'' Schult. & Schult.f., 1830, a plant genus, now considered a synonym of ''Mo ...

'' (Sonder) Yendo, 1905 *'' Jania pygmaea'' J.V.Lamouroux, 1816 *'' Jania radiata'' Yendo, 1905 *'' Jania rosea'' (Lamarck) Decaisne, 1842 *'' Jania rubens'' (Linnaeus) J.V.Lamouroux, 1816 *'' Jania rubrens'' (L.) Lamour *'' Jania sagittata'' (J.V.Lamouroux) Blainville, 1834 *'' Jania santae-marthae'' Schnetter *'' Jania spectabile'' (Harvey ex Grunow) *'' Jania squamata'' (Linnaeus) J.H. Kim, *'' Jania subpinnata'' E.Y.Dawson, 1953 *'' Jania subulata'' (Ellis & Solander) Sonder, 1848 *'' Jania tenella'' (Kützing) Grunow, 1874 *'' Jania ungulata'' (Yendo) Yendo, 1905 *'' Jania verrucosa'' J.V.Lamouroux, 1816 *'' Jania yenoshimensis'' (Yendo) Yendo, 1905

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q10305245 Corallinaceae Red algae genera