Characium A. Braun in Kützing, 1849: 208
Lectotype species: Characium sieboldii A.Braun
Original publication:Kützing, F.T. (1849). Species algarum. pp. [i]-vi, [1]-922. Lipsiae [Leipzig]: F.A. Brockhaus.
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Taxonomic status: currently recognized as a distinct genus.
Nomenclatural notes
Lectotypified with C. sieboldii A. Braun by R. C. Starr (ING card 15530. Mai 1962) - (2 Jul 2012) - M.D. Guiry
Description: Solitary, cylindrical, pyriform, ovoid, egg or spindle shaped or spherical cells. Cells often bent or asymmetrical and attached to substratum at one end by basal pad or with short to prominent stipes to 40 µm long; at opposite end cells rounded to pointed, with or without attenuate process. Cells 11-45 (- >100) x 8.5-23 µm, with smooth cell walls. Cells uninucleate; chloroplasts mostly single, parietal and band shaped; pyrenoids mostly single but up to eight reported, usually with distinct starch sheath. Asexual reproduction by biflagellate zoospores or akinetes; spores released through apex of cell or through tear in lateral wall. Zoospores 7-19 x 2-3 µm, with two equal, apical flagella and contractile vacuoles; chloroplast single and parietal with pyrenoid and stigma. Thick-walled, spherical akinetes to 100 µm present, often with accumulation of carotenoid pigments. Sexual reproduction reported for C. starrii, however, this species now referred to Chlamydopodium. Characium epiphytic on other algae and macrophytes, epilithic or epizoic in various freshwater habitats or soil in arctic to tropical climates. Genus cosmopolitan but some species reported with highly localized distributions. Species grow well in culture and various species available in culture from UTEX and NIES. Genus distinguished from Pseudocharacium which has quadriflagellate zoospores. Species distinguished based on features of cell size and shape, and nature of stipe. Species also differ in a variety of physiological criteria including ability to utilize various carbon sources and relative ability to grow under aerophilic and microaerophilic conditions in various environmental and chemical conditions. Sequence analyses of 18S rRNA for C. vacuolatum, C. hindakii and C. perforatum suggest relationships with Ettlia and Dunaliella, Neochloris and Pediastrum, and Parietochloris and Friedmannia, respectively, none of which are classified in Characiaceae. Results of molecular studies congruent with prior ultrastructural studies of zoospores with respects to flagellar apparatus and general cell structure. This suggests a polyphyletic Characium; however, assignment of these species to Characium equivocal. Hyalocharacium Pascher (1929) based on H. chrysopyxidis sometimes segregated from Characium (see Komárek and Fott 1983). This species appears to be a colorless and chloroplast-free form of Characium and it seems unnecessary to segregate Hyalocharacium based on this feature. Key
Numbers of names and species: There are 93 species (and infraspecific) names in the database at present, of which 38 have been flagged as currently accepted taxonomically.
Names: ('C' indicates a name that is currently accepted taxonomically; 'S' a homotypic or heterotypic synonym; 'U' indicates a name of uncertain taxonomic status, but which has been subjected to some verification nomenclaturally; 'P' indicates a preliminary AlgaeBase entry that has not been subjected to any kind of verification. For more information on a species click on it to activate a link to the Species database):
Characium acuminatum Braun C
Characium acuminatum f. major Péterfi P
Characium acutum A.Braun S
Characium ambiguum Hermann S
Characium ancora (G.M.Smith) Fott S
Characium angustum A.Braun C
Characium apiculatum Rabenhorst S
Characium astipitatum Metting C
Characium asymmetricum Korshikov C
Characium boldii J.A.Rino S
Characium braunii Brügger C
Characium brunnthaleri Printz S
Characium bulbosum Korshikov C
Characium bulgariense P
Characium californicum K.W.Lee & H.C.Bold S
Characium cerassiforme B.Eichler & Raciborski C
Characium cerassiforme var. minimum Playfair C
Characium clava Hermann S
Characium conicum Korshikov C
Characium coronatum Reinsch C
Characium cucurbitinum C.-C.Jao C
Characium curvatum G.M.Smith C
Characium cylindricum F.Lambert S
Characium debaryanum (Reinsch) De Toni C
Characium ensiforme Hermann S
Characium ensiforme G.S.West S
Characium epipyxis Hermann P
Characium falcatum Schröder S
Characium fusiforme K.W.Lee & Bold S
Characium giganteum (Wolle) De toni P
Characium gracile Schiller S
Characium gracilipes F.D.Lambert S
Characium groenlandicum Richter C
Characium guttula Playfair C
Characium heteromorphum Reinsch C
Characium hindakii K.W.Lee & Bold S
Characium hookeri (Reinsch) Hansgirg P
Characium issajevii Kiselev C
Characium limneticum Lemmermann S
Characium longipes Rabenhorst S
Characium lundii Fott S
Characium marinum Kjellman C
Characium maximum S.Watanabe S
Characium michailovskoense Elenkin S
Characium minutum A.Braun S
Characium naegelii A.Braun S
Characium nasutum Rabenhorst P
Characium obesum W.R.Taylor C
Characium obtusum A.Braun S
Characium ocellatum Korshikov S
Characium orissicum Philipose C
Characium ornithocephalum var. majus R.J.Patel & Isabella George P
Characium ornithocephalum var. adolescens Printz C
Characium ornithocephalum var. pringsheimii (A.Braun) Komárek C
Characium ornithocephalum var. harpochytriiforme Printz C
Characium ornithocephalum var. longisetum H.Ettl C
Characium ornithocephalum A.Braun C
Characium ovale Sande Lacoste & Suringar C
Characium oviforme K.W.Lee & Bold S
Characium ovum Matvienko S
Characium perforatum K.W.Lee & H.C.Bold C
Characium pluricoccum Korshikov S
Characium polymorphum Printz C
Characium polymorphum F.R.Trainor & H.C.Bold S
Characium pringsheimii A.Braun S
Characium prodani Péterfi P
Characium pseudopolymorphum M.T.Philipose S
Characium pseudopyriforme Philipose C
Characium pyriforme J.W.G.Lund S
Characium pyriforme A.Braun S
Characium pyriforme A.Braun C
Characium rabenhorstii De Toni S
Characium rostratum Reinhard ex Printz C
Characium saccatum Filarsky S
Characium setigerum (Schröder) Bourrelly S
Characium setosum Filarszky S
Characium sieboldii A.Braun S - type
Characium simplex Korshikov S
Characium simplicissimum Korshikov S
Characium starrii Fott S
Characium stipitatum (Bachmann) Wille S
Characium strictum A.Braun C
Characium subsessile (Wolle) De Toni C
Characium substrictum C.C.Jao C
Characium subulatum A.Braun S
Characium tenue Hermann C
Characium terrestre Kanthamma C
Characium transvaalense Cholnoky C
Characium tuba Hermann S
Characium typicum K.W.Lee & H.C.Bold S
Characium urnigerum Herman P
Characium vacuolatum K.W.Lee & Bold S
Characium westianum Printz C
Contributors
Some of the descriptions included in AlgaeBase were originally from the unpublished Encyclopedia of Algal Genera,
organised in the 1990s by Dr Bruce Parker on behalf of the Phycological Society of America (PSA)
and intended to be published in CD format.
These AlgaeBase descriptions are now being continually updated, and each current contributor is identified above.
The PSA and AlgaeBase warmly acknowledge the generosity of all past and present contributors and particularly the work of Dr Parker.
Descriptions of chrysophyte genera were subsequently published in J. Kristiansen & H.R. Preisig (eds.). 2001. Encyclopedia of Chrysophyte Genera. Bibliotheca Phycologica 110: 1-260.
Linking to this page: http://www.algaebase.org/search/genus/detail/?genus_id=37473
Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
M.D. Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 2013. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. http://www.algaebase.org; searched on 23 May 2013.
Algaebase taxon LSID: urn:lsid:algaebase.org:taxname:8027
