Notes on some Ceramiaceae (Rhodophyta) from Curaçao, especially those from the exposed northeast coast

Twenty-five species of the red algal family Ceramiaceae are reported from the exposed northeast coast of the Caribbean island of Curaçao. Some of the more interesting finds are discussed in some detail, and one species, Spermothamnion antillarum, is described as new to science. Twelve species are recorded from the island for the first time. A survey of all Ceramiaceae ever recorded from Curaçao yields a total of 60 species, an uncommonly high number for any Caribbean region. Explanations for this high number may be found in the large variety of habitats and the relatively intense study the marine environment has undergone on this island.