Sorastrum

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Sorastrum
Sorastrum spinulosum 174205344.jpg
Sorastrum spinulosum
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Chlorophyta
Class: Chlorophyceae
Order: Sphaeropleales
Family: Hydrodictyaceae
Genus: Sorastrum
Kützing
Type species
Sorastrum echinatum
(Meneghini) Kützing [1]
Species

Sorastrum is a genus of green algae in the family Hydrodictyaceae. [2] It is a component of the phytoplankton of freshwater ponds, lakes, and ditches. Sorastrum is common in tropical to temperate regions of the world, [1] but due to its small size it is often overlooked. [3]

Contents

The genus was named by Friedrich Traugott Kützing and comes from the Ancient Greek terms σωρός (sōrós, "heap") and ἄστρον (astron, "star"). [4]

Description

Sorastrum forms spherical colonies of 8 to 128 cells. [5] Individual cells are kidney-shaped, pear-shaped, or wedge-shaped, or spherical (in Sorastrum sphericum ) [3] and attached to a central body of mucilage via gelatinous strands. On each cell there are two to four outwardly pointing spines. Each cell contains a single chloroplast with a one pyrenoid. [6]

Identification of species depends on the size and shape of the cells, particularly the spines. [1]

Reproduction

Reproduction occurs asexually, by zoospores. Zoospores have two flagella each and are formed by the repeated division of the protoplast. Once divided, the zoospores are released from a tear in the mother cell wall. Sexual reproduction has not been observed in Sorastrum, but is presumed to be similar to that of Hydrodictyon and Pediastrum . [1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Guiry, M.D.; Guiry, G.M. "Sorastrum". AlgaeBase . University of Galway . Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  2. ↑ See the NCBI webpage on Sorastrum. Data extracted from the "NCBI taxonomy resources". National Center for Biotechnology Information . Retrieved 2007-03-19.
  3. 1 2 Keshri, Jai Prakash; Mallick, Prasant (2013). "The genus Sorastrum Kützing (Hydrodictyaceae, Sphaeropleales, Chlorophyta) from India, with a new species S. philiposianum". Bangladesh Journal of Plant Taxonomy. 20 (2): 243–249. Bibcode:2013BJPT...20..243K. doi: 10.3329/bjpt.v20i2.17399 .
  4. ↑ Rabenhorst, L. (1853). Kryptogamen-Flora von Sachsen, Ober-Lausitz, Thüringen und Nord-Böhmen, mit Berücksichtigung der benachbarten Länder: erste Abtheilung: Algen im weitesten Sinne, Leber und Laubmoose. Leipzig: Verlag von Eduard Kummer. pp. i–xx, 1–653.
  5. ↑ 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.
  6. ↑ Shubert, Elliot; Gärtner, Georg (2014). "Chapter 7. Nonmotile Coccoid and Colonial Green Algae". 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.


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