Morpho-anatomical studies on the genus Padina (Dictyotales,Phaeophycota) from the coast of Karachi,Pakistan

Specimens of the genus padina adanson were collected from northern coast of the arabian sea at karachi,pakistan during march 2006-april 2009 and investigated for their morphology,anatomy and reproductive structures in details. the collection included five species which were studied for their size and shape of surface cells,presence and absence of intercellular spaces,cell-wall thickness,not studied by previous workers. two recently described species,i.e.,p. afaqhusainii and p. nizamudinii,were thoroughly investigated and compared with the other three species. the lack of hair bands in the former species and the presence of more layers in the middle part as compared to upper and lower parts in the latter species were observed as their characteristic features. © pakistan academy of sciences.