Astasia Dujardin, 1841, nom. et typ. cons.

Holotype species: Astasia limpida Dujardin

Original publication and holotype designation: Dujardin, F. (1841). Histoire naturelle des Zoophytes, Infusoires, comprenant la physiologie et la clasification de ces animaux et la manière de les étudier à l'aide du microscope. pp. i-xii, 1-684. Paris: Librarie Encyclopédique de Roret.

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Description: Colorless, free-swimming, osmotrophic, fusiform or elongated cells, 10-75 µm long, with moderate to violent euglenoid movement and flagella like Euglena but no eyespot or flagella swelling; therefore thought to be primitively colorless compared with forms like Cyclidiopsis and Khawkinea which have an eyespot and photoreceptor and must derive from green species that have lost their chloroplasts. The latter 2 genera and the phagotrophic Euglenopsis are included in the genus Astasia by Bourrelly (1985) but not by Huber-Pestalozzi (1955) or Leedale (1967). Christen (1962b) proposes 2 subgenera, Bourrelly (1985) 5. Of the numerous "genera" (or "subgenera", see Skvortsov & Noda 1975) of colorless euglenoids named by Skvortsov (1957) but not described well enough to separate even as species, let alone genera, or to be demonstrably euglenoid, some might be Astasia. Also, Michajlow (1972) assigns various inadequately described endozoic or parasitic colorless flagellates to euglenoid genera, including Astasia (without any evidence of diagnostic euglenoid features). Larsen and Patterson (1991) discuss these in a review of the diversity of heterotrophic euglenoids. The physiology of Astasia spp. and the inferred parallelism between certain Astasia and Euglena spp. have been studied in detail by Pringsheim (1942, 1963). Species occur worldwide in fresh waters rich in organic matter.

Information contributed by: G.F. Leedale. The most recent alteration to this page was made on 2024-02-23 by E.A. Molinari Novoa.

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

Gender: This genus name is currently treated as feminine.

Most recent taxonomic treatment adopted: Cavalier-Smith, T. (2016). Higher classification and phylogeny of Euglenozoa. European Journal of Protistology 56: 250–276, 2 figs.

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Some of the descriptions included in AlgaeBase were originally from the unpublished Encyclopedia of Algal Genera, organised in the 1990s by Dr Bruce Parker on behalf of the Phycological Society of America (PSA) and intended to be published in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

Linking to this page: https://www.algaebase.org/search/genus/detail/?genus_id=43649

Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
E.A. Molinari Novoa in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 23 February 2024. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 19 April 2024