Marine Flora of French Polynesia: An Updated List Using DNA Barcoding and Traditional Approaches

Located in the heart of South Pacific Ocean, French Polynesian islands represent a remarkable setting for biological colonization and diversification, because their isolation. Our knowledge this region’s biodiversity is nevertheless still incomplete many groups organisms. In late 1990s 2000s, series publications provided first checklists marine algae, including Chlorophyta, Rhodophyta, Ochrophyta, Cyanobacteria, established mostly on traditional morphology-based taxonomy. We initiated project to systematically DNA barcode flora Polynesia. Based large collection ~2452 specimens, made between 2014 2023, across five archipelagos, we re-assessed floral species diversity (Alismatales, Chlorophyta) using barcoding concert with classification. provide here major revision flora, an updated listing 702 119 169 92 320 2 seagrass species—nearly two-fold increase from previous estimates. This study significantly improves our provides valuable reference library identification purposes future taxonomic conservation studies. A significant part uncovered Polynesia corresponds unidentified lineages, which will require careful investigation.