Mucosphaera A.J.Dop & Van Beem, 1980

Holotype species: Mucosphaera geophila A.J.Dop & Van Beem

Original publication and holotype designation: Dop, A.J. & Van Beem, A.P. (1980). Mucosphaera, a new genus of freshwater Chrysophyceae. In: Benthic Chrysophyceae from The Netherlands. Ph.D. thesis. (Dop, A.J. Eds), pp. 127-141. Amsterdam: Biologisch Laboratorium, Vrije Universitiet.

Description: Vegetative cells flagellated, naked, hemispherical to polygonal in shape, tightly packed in numbers of up to 20 cells within a gelatinous envelope within which the cells do not exhibit active movement. Envelopes spherical, up to 200 &m in diam. Flagella 2, inserted at an acute angle, one long bearing tripartite tubular hairs, the other short and smooth, possessing a prominent swelling at its base, closely appressed to the cell membrane. Chloroplast single, parietal, irregular discoid, covering about half of the cell membrane; stigma, pyrenoid and girdle lamella absent. Protoplast also containing 1 contractile vacuole and several chrysolaminaran and lipid vacuoles. Colony size and number of cells in the colonies increase by simple cell divisions. The colonies multiply by disintegration of the gelatinous envelope, releasing the cells which then act as zoospores and start new colonies when settled. Similar colonies consisting of tightly packed non-swimming flagellated cells also exist in Hibberdia (Hibberdiales, Hibberdiaceae). Both genera can be distinguished by several ultrastructural characteristics such as the angle of insertion of the flagella, size of the second flagellum, presence or absence of girdle lamella in chloroplast etc. (see Andersen 1989). Known only from the original description, growing subaerially on damp soil in the Netherlands.

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: Kawai, H. & Nakayama, T. (2015). Introduction (Heterokontobionta p.p.), Cryptophyta, Dinophyta, Haptophyta, Heterokontophyta (except Coscinodiscophyceae, Mediophyceae, Fragilariophyceae, Bacillariophyceae, Phaeophyceae, Eustigmatophyceae), Chlorarachniophyta, Euglenophyta. In: Syllabus of plant families. Adolf Engler's Syllabus der Pflanzenfamilien. Ed. 13. Phototrophic eukaryotic Algae. Glaucocystophyta, Cryptophyta, Dinophyta/Dinozoa, Haptophyta, Heterokontophyta/Ochrophyta, Chlorarachnniophyta/Cercozoa, Chlorophyta, Streptophyta p.p. (Frey, W. Eds), pp. 11-64, 103-139. Stuttgart: Borntraeger Science Publishers.

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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=44772

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 26 April 2024