Red algal parasites: a synopsis of described species, their hosts, distinguishing characters and areas for continued research

Red algal parasites are diverse organisms that are unusual due to the fact that many are closely related to their hosts. Parasitism has developed many times within different red algal groups, but the full extent of parasite biodiversity is unknown, as parasites are easily overlooked due to their small size and often low abundance. Additionally, the literature on red algal parasites is dispersed and has not been compiled in over 30 years....