Identifying alien macroalgae through DNA barcoding: the case of Hypnea cornuta (Cystocloniaceae, Rhodophyta)

1 - Introduction of non-indigenous macroalgae has become a major topic in the last decades. Potential vectors are aquaculture, fouling on hulls, ballast water, aquarium trading, fishing nets. 2 - Within a program of census of macroalgal alien species through DNA barcoding we found a population of previously unreported rhodophyte in Cape Peloro Lagoon and nearby marine coasts (north-eastern Sicily, Italy). 3 - All collected individuals were identified as the alien species Hypnea cornuta based on morphological characters confirmed by the analysis of COI-5’ sequences