Lepocinclis

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Lepocinclis
Lepocinclis tripteris - 400X - 2 (10388691043).jpg
Lepocinclis tripteris
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Clade: Discoba
Phylum: Euglenozoa
Class: Euglenida
Clade: Euglenophyceae
Order: Euglenales
Family: Phacaceae
Genus: Lepocinclis
Perty, 1849
Type species
Lepocinclis globulus
Perty [1]
Lepocinclis tripteris Lepocinclis tripteris - 400X - 1 (10388482005).jpg
Lepocinclis tripteris

Lepocinclis is a genus of algae belonging to the family Phacaceae. [2] The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution, [2] and is primarily part of the plankton in freshwater habitats (rarely brackish ones). [1]

Contents

Description

Lepocinclis consists of single, free-swimming cells, with the flagella, eyespot (stigma), and flagellar swelling similar to that of Euglena . [1] The cells are rigid or semi-rigid (they may bend somewhat, but are not metabolic). [3] The cell shape is variable but species-specific: they may be ovoid, fusiform, cylindrical, sometimes twisted; the cell is usually not flattened (rarely flattened or triangular) in cross section. [3] Cells often with a tapering posterior spine; the cell is surrounded by a pellicle with spiral striations. Cells are typically filled with numerous small, discoid chloroplasts without pyrenoids, which give the cell a green color. [1] A few species have secondarily lost their chloroplasts, and are therefore colorless. Cells are also filled with paramylon grains, of two different sizes (dimorphic); the large paramylon grains are ring-shaped or rod-shaped. [3]

Taxonomy

The circumscription and species-level taxonomy of Lepocinclis has changed significantly with molecular phylogenetic analyses. [4] For example, in 2003 some elongate species with a semi-rigid pellicle were transferred to Lepocinclis, such as Lepocinclis acus . [5] These species were formerly considered to be part of the genus Euglena, subgenus Rigidae sensu Pringsheim. [4] Another change involved the genus Cyclidiopsis, which differed from Lepocinclis sensu stricto in having colorless cells (no chloroplasts). Cyclidiopsis was found to be included within the clade of Lepocinclis, and thus made a synonym. [6]

Species delimitation involves morphological characters such as the shape and size of cells, [7] and the number and shape of paramylon grains. [8]

The following species are recognized in the genus Lepocinclis: [2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Guiry, M.D.; Guiry, G.M. "Lepocinclis Perty, 1849, nom. cons". AlgaeBase . University of Galway . Retrieved 2025-05-04.
  2. 1 2 3 "Lepocinclis Perty, 1849". www.gbif.org. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 Triemer, Richard E.; Zakryś, Bożena (2014). "Chapter 10. Photosynthetic Euglenoids". In Wehr, John D.; Sheath, Robert G.; Kociolek, J. Patrick (eds.). Freshwater Algae of North America: Ecology and Classification (2 ed.). Elsevier Inc. ISBN   978-0-12-385876-4.
  4. 1 2 Bicudo, Carlos E. M.; Menezes, Mariângela (2006). Gêneros de Algas de Águas Continentais do Brasil: chave para identificação e descrições (2 ed.). RiMa Editora. p. 508. ISBN   857656064X.
  5. ↑ Marin, B; Palm, A; Klingberg, M; Melkonian, M (2003). "Phylogeny and taxonomic revision of plastid-containing euglenophytes based on SSU rDNA sequence comparisons and synapomorphic signatures in the SSU rRNA secondary structure". Protist. 154 (1): 99–145. doi:10.1078/143446103764928521. PMID   12812373.
  6. ↑ Bennett, Matthew S.; Triemer, Richard E. (2014). "The Genus Cyclidiopsis: An Obituary". Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology. 61 (2): 166–172. doi:10.1111/jeu.12094. PMID   24325246.
  7. ↑ Łukomska-Kowalczyk, Maja; Chaber, Katarzyna; Fells, Alicja; Milanowski, Rafał; Zakryś, Bożena (2020). "Molecular and Morphological Delimitation of Species in the Group of Lepocinclis ovum-like taxa (Euglenida)". Journal of Phycology. 56 (2): 283–299. Bibcode:2020JPcgy..56..283L. doi:10.1111/jpy.12949. PMID   31730236.
  8. ↑ Chaber, Katarzyna; Łukomska-Kowalczyk, Maja; Fells, Alicja; Milanowski, Rafał; Zakryś, Bożena; Declerck, O. (2022). "Toward the robust resolution of taxonomic ambiguity within Lepocinclis (Euglenida) based on DNA sequencing and morphology". Journal of Phycology. 58 (1): 105–120. Bibcode:2022JPcgy..58..105C. doi:10.1111/jpy.13220. PMC   9300208 . PMID   34719033.
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