Dimorphococcus

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Dimorphococcus
Medeiros et al 2021 Dimorphococcus lunatus.jpg
Dimorphococcus lunatus
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Clade: Viridiplantae
Division: Chlorophyta
Class: Chlorophyceae
Order: Sphaeropleales
Family: Scenedesmaceae
Genus: Dimorphococcus
Braun
Type species
Dimorphococcus lunatus
Braun [1]
Species

Dimorphococcus is a genus of fresh water green algae in the family Scenedesmaceae. [2] It is found as a component of the phytoplankton of freshwater ponds, lakes, and peat bogs. It is widespread, but usually not very common. [1]

Contents

Dimorphococcus is usually found in small colonies of multiples of four cells, surrounded by a gelatinous mass. Groups of four cells are further attached to each other via mucilaginous strands, which are the remnants of the mother cell wall. [3] Cells are kidney-shaped to heart-shaped, 10–25 μm long and 3–8(–15) μm wide. Each cell is uninucleate (containing one nucleus) and has one parietal chloroplast each with one or more pyrenoids. [1]

Dimorphococcus reproduces asexually via autospores, with four spores produced per mother cell. Autospores are released through a lateral tear in the mother cell wall. After release, the empty cell wall gradually dissolves. [1]

Taxonomy

Currently, Dimorphococcus is placed in the family Scenedesmaceae, according to molecular phylogenetic analyses. [4]

One species, Dimorphococcus fritschii, is of uncertain status. The phycologist Chin Chih Jao considered it to have a different structure than other species of Dimorphococcus; accordingly, he placed it into a new genus, Dimorphococcopsis . The species has not been re-investigated and it is possible that the original placement was correct. [5]

Related Research Articles

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The Chlorophyceae are one of the classes of green algae, distinguished mainly on the basis of ultrastructural morphology. They are usually green due to the dominance of pigments chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b. The chloroplast may be discoid, plate-like, reticulate, cup-shaped, spiral- or ribbon-shaped in different species. Most of the members have one or more storage bodies called pyrenoids located in the chloroplast. Pyrenoids contain protein besides starch. Some green algae may store food in the form of oil droplets. They usually have a cell wall made up of an inner layer of cellulose and outer layer of pectose.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chlorophyta</span> Phylum of green algae

Chlorophyta is a division of green algae informally called chlorophytes.

<i>Coelastrum</i> Genus of algae

Coelastrum is a genus of green algae in the Scenedesmaceae family. It is a common component of the phytoplankton in freshwater habitats such as ponds, lakes, waterfalls, and temporary pools of water, particularly eutrophic ones. The genus has a more or less cosmopolitan distribution, although some species appear to have more restricted geographical distributions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Selenastraceae</span> Family of algae

Selenastraceae is a family of green algae in the order Sphaeropleales. Members of this family are common components of the phytoplankton in freshwater habitats worldwide. A few species have been found in brackish and marine habitats, such as in the Baltic Sea.

<i>Ankistrodesmus</i> Genus of algae

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<i>Coelastrella</i> Genus of algae

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<i>Dictyosphaerium</i> Genus of algae

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Enallax is a genus of green algae in the family Scenedesmaceae. It is found in freshwater habitats, such as peat bogs or wet rocks.

<i>Hariotina</i> Genus of algae

Hariotina is a genus of green algae in the family Scenedesmaceae. They are classified in the subfamily Coelastroideae.

<i>Kirchneriella</i> Genus of algae

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<i>Lagerheimia</i> Genus of algae

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<i>Planktosphaeria</i> Genus of algae

Planktosphaeria is a genus of Chlorophyceae of the green algae. It was first described by the phycologist Gilbert Morgan Smith in 1918, with Planktosphaeria gelatinosa as its type species. Species of Planktosphaeria are commonly found in freshwater plankton around the world.

Podohedriella is a genus of green algae in the family Selenastraceae. It is found in freshwater habitats or on damp wood.

<i>Schroederiella</i> Genus of algae

Schroederiella is a genus of green algae in the family Scenedesmaceae.

<i>Selenastrum</i> Genus of algae

Selenastrum is a genus of green algae in the family Selenastraceae. It is common in freshwater habitats around the world. Most species prefer temperate or warm-temperate waters.

<i>Tetraedron</i> Genus of algae

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<i>Tetrastrum</i> Genus of algae

Tetrastrum is a genus of green algae (Chlorophyta). It is a common component of the phytoplankton of freshwater habitats, particularly eutrophic and alkaline waters.

<i>Marthea</i> Genus of algae

Marthea is a genus of green algae in the family Characiaceae, containing the single species Marthea tetras. It is an extremely rare genus; it has only been recorded once, as freshwater phytoplankton from its original locality in the Bohemian Forest region of the Czech Republic.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Guiry, M.D.; Guiry, G.M. "Dimorphococcus". AlgaeBase . World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. Retrieved 2023-11-24.
  2. ↑ See the NCBI webpage on Dimorphococcus. Data extracted from the "NCBI taxonomy resources". National Center for Biotechnology Information . Retrieved 2007-03-19.
  3. ↑ Matthews, Robin A. (2016). "Freshwater Algae in Northwest Washington, Volume II, Chlorophyta and Rhodophyta". A Collection of Open Access Books and Monographs. Western Washington University. doi:10.25710/fctx-n773.
  4. ↑ Hegewald, Eberhard; Wolf, Matthias; Keller, Alexander; Friedl, Thomas; Krienitz, Lothar (2010). "ITS2 sequence-structure phylogeny in the Scenedesmaceae with special reference to Coelastrum (Chlorophyta, Chlorophyceae), including the new genera Comasiella and Pectinodesmus". Phycologia. 49 (4): 325–335. Bibcode:2010Phyco..49..325H. doi:10.2216/09-61.1. S2CID   85145401.
  5. ↑ Komárek, J.; Fott, B. (1983). Chlorophyceae (Grünalgen), Ordnung Chlorococcales. Das Phytoplankton des Süßwassers (in German). E. Schweizerbart'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung. p. 1044.
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