Spumella Cienkowsky, 1870

Holotype species: Spumella vulgaris Cienkowski

Original publication and holotype designation: Schulz, P. (1922). Desmidiaceen aus dem Gebiete der Freien Stadt Danzig und dem benachbarten Pomerellen. Botanisches Archiv 2(3): 113-173, 101 figures, 2 tables.

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Description: Cells colorless, naked, solitary, spherical to ellipsoid or pyriform in face view and not compressed in transverse section. Front end usually obliquely truncate and has an emargination from where two unequal flagella emerge, both visible in the light microscope; one is long and bearing tripartite tubular hairs, the other short and smooth. Cells are usually free-swimming, but occasionally come to rest and attach to a substrate at the posterior end. Cells often somewhat metabolic and may become amoeboid with loss of flagella. Instead of a chloroplast there is a small leucoplast which sometimes contains a red-colored stigma. Protoplast also contains 1-2 contractile vacuoles, one or several chrysolaminaran vacuoles, food vacuoles and sometimes numerous trichocyst-like bodies (mucocysts, discobolocysts) just under the cell surface. Cells are able to ingest food particles (e. g. bacteria, centric diatoms, small chlorococcalean algae) in large quantities. Reproduction by binary fission into equal daughter cells. All species of Spumella are known to produce stomatocysts. Species of Spumella (Monas/Heterochromonas are predominantly known fromfreshwater, some species of Monas have also been reported from marine environments. The taxonomic history of these genera is very confused (Preisig and others 1991). In the older literature the genus name Monas has been used extensively for colorless monads with heterokont flagella (more than 100 described species of Monas). The related genus Heterochromonas was used by Pascher (1912) and Bourrelly (1957) for all Monas species for which stomatocysts were known, while Skuja (1939, 1948, 1956) included in Heterochromonas all those Monas species possessing a stigma (whether or not stomatocysts were known). Silva (1960) recommended that the genus Monas be abandoned because the identity of the lectotype, M. mica, is not known and because the genus name has also been applied to organisms more appropriately assigned to Spumella which is the colorless counterpart of Ochromonas and has priority over Heterochromonas. Subsequently the genus Spumella was generally accepted, though some authors retained the genus Monas for those species for which stomatocysts were not known. Five species of Spumella have been recognized so far; several of the species described for Monas and Heterochromonas are probably congeneric with Spumella, but their chrysophycean identity has to be clearly assessed before new combinations can be made.

Information contributed by: H. R. Preisig. The most recent alteration to this page was made on 2021-10-18 by M.D. Guiry.

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: Grossmann, L., Bock, C., Schweikert, M & Boenigk, J. (2016). Small but manifold - hidden diversity in "Spumella-like Flagellates". Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology 63: 419-439, 7 figs, 2 tables.

Comments: Kristiansen & Preisig (2001: 9) record this genus as alternately being a member of the family Ochromonadaceae Lemmerman 1899. Throndsen (1997: 618) record this genus as being a member of the Family Ochromonadaceae, Order Ochromonadales and Class Chrysophyceae.

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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=44167

Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
M.D. Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 18 October 2021. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 29 March 2024

 
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