Ecballocystis Bohlin, 1897

Holotype species: Ecballocystis pulvinata Bohlin

Original publication and holotype designation: Bohlin, K. (1897). Die Algen der ersten Regnell'schen Expedition. I. Protococcoideen. Bihang till Kongl. Svenska Vetenskaps-Akademiens Handlingar 23(Afd. III. No.7): 1-47, 2 pls.

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Description: Microscopic to macroscopic aggregations of cells with one to many celled dendroid to pseudofilamentous colonies attached at base by mucilaginous pad. Cells oval to spindle shaped or cylindrical, 9-84 x 3-20 µm. Cell walls smooth, some species commonly with lamellated polar thickenings. Cells with single central nucleus; parietal chloroplasts 1-many and discoid to band shaped, each with single pyrenoid. Asexual reproduction by autospores, 2-4 (-8) per parental cell. Spores released through apex of sporangium or by partial gelatinization of cell walls, with most cells remaining partially attached to remains of sporangial walls. Spores either released from colony or forming new portion of colony. Zoospores and sexual reproduction unknown. Ecballocystis in freshwater streams mostly in mountainous regions, either epilithic or epiphytic; reported mostly from tropics and Southern Hemisphere with two species recorded from Europe. Genus of uncertain taxonomic position and assigned to various families including Palmellaceae and Hormotilaceae. Species distinguished based on details of cell size and shape, and cell wall and colony morphology. An unnamed entity described by Thérézien & Couté (1977) with irregular shaped cells in non-dendritic cell masses.

Information contributed by: F. Hindák & D. Garbary. The most recent alteration to this page was made on 2015-05-12 by Salvador Valenzuela Miranda.

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

Most recent taxonomic treatment adopted: Xia, S., Zhu, H., Cheng, Y.-Y. Liu, G.-X. & Hu, Z.-Y. (2013). Phylogenetic position of Ecballocystis and Ecballocystopsis (Chlorophyta). Fottea 13(1): 65-75.

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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Some of the descriptions included in AlgaeBase were originally from the unpublished Encyclopedia of Algal Genera, organised in the 1990s by Dr Bruce Parker on behalf of the Phycological Society of America (PSA) and intended to be published in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=43948

Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
Salvador Valenzuela Miranda in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 12 May 2015. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 26 April 2024