Twenty-five students in the Pribilof Island Marine Science Camp have discovered the second-known population of a new species.
Observation by Karin Holser:
Student in the Pribilof Island Marine Science Camp discovered a very rare type of kelp, Aureophycus. The large brown kelp was discovered during the July camp attended by elementary and high school students. They discovered the kelp while collecting samples in Zapadni Bay. The finding of a new kelp species and genus had only occurred a few months earlier in the Kagomil Islands.
See attached article from the Dutch Harbor Fisherman dated October 9, 2008.
11/27/2019
Tom Okey, with Ocean Integrity Research, writes:
I just read that informative article in the Dutch Harbor Fisherman about this find. It is a similar story to the following 2008 article in the Alaska Seagrant Fishlines newsletter, page 36.
"Pribilof Island students discovered the second known population of a new kelp genus near St. George Island, Alaska, last July. Michelle Ridgway led the Pribilof Island Marine Science Camp, where children studied seawater temperature, salinity, marine habitats, and sea creature biology for 11 days. Ridgway was diving to retrieve a hydrophone cable that the class had been using, when she saw the kelp. Recognizing that it was similar to the new algae, and like nothing she had encountered in 22 years diving in Bering Sea kelp beds, Ridgway shipped tissue to the molecular geneticist who had named Aureophycus, Hitoshi Kawai at Kobe University in Japan. He confirmed that it is a “perfect match” for the new genus. Ridgway learned of the new kelp when it was reported at the January 2008 NPRB Marine Science Symposium by discoverer Mandy Lindeberg. Lindeberg, a NOAA scientist, is writing a manuscript for a field guide to Alaska seaweeds, to be published by Alaska Sea Grant. The 25 St. George students at the science camp participated in the discovery, and will continue the marine science lessons in their school science program. Alaska Sea Grant, along with 15 other supporters, provided resources for Ridgway’s marine education efforts."
It also sounds like there is a 2008 NPRB Marine Science Symposium proceedings with at least an abstract describing the original find.
Alariaceae
