My name is Clio Maridakis. I completed my PhD in December 2025 at the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, within the Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), under the supervision of Line Le Gall and Florence Rousseau. My research focuses on the diversity and phylogeny of coralline algae (Corallinophycidae), with a particular interest in species delimitation, the taxonomic revision of the genus Jania, and the contribution of genomics to understanding phylogenetic relationships within this group.
During my PhD, I worked with the world’s largest collection of coralline algae, held in the herbarium of the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, to explore the diversity of these calcified red algae, which play an essential role in coastal ecosystems. The first part of my work focused on the genus Jania, combining morphology, biogeography and molecular data to improve species delimitation. This integrative approach showed that much of this diversity remains poorly understood and highlighted the need to clarify species boundaries and taxonomy within the genus.The second part of my thesis focused on sequencing historical type specimens of Jania using next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies, with the aim of stabilising the nomenclature of the genus by linking names to genetic lineages. Finally, I investigated deep phylogenetic relationships within the Corallinophycidae using mitochondrial and chloroplast genomes obtained from both recent and historical specimens. This work contributed to establishing a more robust taxonomic and phylogenetic framework for coralline algae, providing a basis for understanding their diversification and their response to global change, particularly in the context of ocean acidification.
I would like to thank the Société Phycologique de France (SPF) for awarding me this grant, which will enable me to attend the 7th World Conference on Marine Biodiversity, to be held in Bruges from 17 to 20 November 2026, where I will present my research on the diversity and taxonomy of coralline algae.
