Hormotila Borzì, 1883

Holotype species: Hormotila mucigena Borzì

Original publication and holotype designation: Borzì, A. (1883). Studi algologici. Saggio di richerche sulla biologia delle Alghe. Fascicolo I. pp. [i]-vi, [i, h.t.], [i]-i 117, [i, cont.], errata slip, IX pls., uncol. liths. by author. Messina: Gaetano Capra e Co. Editori.

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Description: Irregular branched colonial thalli with one to many cells at ends or scattered along linear mucilaginous matrix. Matrix wider or thinner than vegetative cells and highly lamellate to smooth. Cells spherical to ellipsoidal, 4-12 x 10-20 µm. Cells uninucleate; chloroplast single and parietal and variable; pyrenoid one or two per cell or absent. Cells mostly green but often becoming yellow or red with accumulation of carotenoids. Colony growth by vegetative cell division or spore formation. Asexual reproduction by autospores or biflagellate, naked zoospores or colony fragmentation. Sporangia spherical to elongate and irregular, to 30 µm long with up to 64 aplanospores or zoospores released by a tear in sporangium. Zoospores oval to ellipsoid or irregular with apical flagella, 3-11 x 1-7 µm, with stigma and contractile vacuoles. Akinetes described in some species; upon germination these form 8-64 aplanospores or zoospores. Sexual reproduction unknown. Hormotila in soil, on damp rocks or in Sphagnum-ponds; genus essentially cosmopolitan but rarely reported. Genus included in Palmellaceae by some authors. Species distinguished based on arrangement of cells in colony and form of mucilage envelope. Hauckia regarded as a possible synonym of Hormotila (see Komárek and Fott), however, the position of the two supposed species of Hauckia (H. insularis, H. indica) remains unresolved.

Information contributed by: D. Garbary. The most recent alteration to this page was made on 2017-05-06 by M.D. Guiry.

Taxonomic status: This name is of an entity that is currently accepted taxonomically.

Most recent taxonomic treatment adopted: Wujek, D.E. (2017). Reestablishing the occurrence of the green alga Hormotila mucigena in North America: Kansas and Michigan. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 120(1-2): 82-86.

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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Some of the descriptions included in AlgaeBase were originally from the unpublished Encyclopedia of Algal Genera, organised in the 1990s by Dr Bruce Parker on behalf of the Phycological Society of America (PSA) and intended to be published in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.

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Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
M.D. Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 06 May 2017. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 29 March 2024

 
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