Macroepiphytes on Cystoseira species (Phaeophyceae) on the coast of Montenegro

Abstract

The genus Cystoseira considerably supports epiphytic assemblages on their thallus, but studies on their epiphytic species are rare. From the nine Cystoseira taxa from the coast of Montenegro, 46 species of epiphytes were collected. Similarities of epiphytic assemblages on different host algae were analyzed, as well as correlation between epiphytes and complexicity of thallus for host Cystoseira species. These are the first data for epiphytes assemblages on Cystoseira species from the Montenegrin coast and further research is needed for providing better data base for future monitoring and evaluating of environmental changes on the hard-bottom communities.