Nannochloropsis Hibberd, 1981: 114
Classification:
Empire Eukaryota
Kingdom Chromista
Subkingdom Chromobiota
Infrakingdom Heterokonta
Phylum Heterokontophyta
Class Eustigmatophyceae
Order Eustigmatales
Family Monodopsidaceae
Holotype species: Nannochloropsis oculata (Droop) D.J. Hibberd
Original publication and holotype designation: Hibberd, D.J. (1981). Notes on the taxonomy and nomenclature of the algal classes Eustigmatophyceae and Tribophyceae (synonym Xanthophyceae). Journal of the Linnean Society of London, Botany 82: 93-119, 17 figs, 1 table.
Taxonomic status: currently recognized as a distinct genus.
Description: Unicellular, free-floating; cells subspherical, 2-4 µm diam. or cylindrical, 3-4 x 1.5 µm. Yellow-green parietal chloroplast; pigments typically eustigmatophycean (Antia & Cheng, 1982). Zoospores not produced. Marine.
NCBI Nucleotide Sequences
As of 2 June 2009, nucleotide sequence data are available at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Genbank for 2,128 samples identified as Nannochloropsis. Taxonomic identifications of these samples to genus (or species) levels unaccompanied by explicit indication of voucher specimens may not be verifiable on morphological/anatomical grounds and consequently be of little or no taxonomic value, as noted by Harvey et al. 2009.
Numbers of names and species: There are 6 species names in the database at present, of which 6 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):
Nannochloropsis gaditana L.M. Lubián C
Nannochloropsis granulata B. Karlson & D. Potter C
Nannochloropsis limnetica L. Krienitz, D. Hepperle, H.-B. Stich & W. Weiler C
Nannochloropsis oceanica Suda & Miyashita C
Nannochloropsis oculata (Droop) D.J. Hibberd C - type
Nannochloropsis salina D.J. Hibberd C
References
Antia, N.J. & Cheng, J.Y. (1982). The keto-carotenoids of two marine coccoid members of the Eustigmatophyceae. British Phycological Journal 17: 39-50.
Information contributed by: G. F. Leedale. The most recent alteration to this page was made on 22 Mar 2008 by M.D. Guiry.
Contributors
Many 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
and intended to be published in CD format.
The descriptions are being continually updated, however, and each current contributor is identified above.
The PSA and AlgaeBase warmly acknowledge the generosity of all past and present
contributors and of Dr Parker.
