Saccochrysis Korshikov, 1941

Holotype species: Saccochrysis piriformis Korshikov

Original publication: Korshikov, A.A. (1941). On some new or little known flagellates. Archiv für Protistenkunde 95: 22-44.

Type designated in: Bourrelly, P. (1957). Recherches sur les Chrysophycées. Morphologie, phylogénie, systématique. Mémoire Hors-Série Revue Algologique 1: [1]-412, incl. 11 pls.

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Description: Vegetative cells flagellated, naked, elongate ovate to pyriform, arranged in numbers of up to 200 cells within a gelatinous envelope, within which the cells are constantly swimming. Envelopes often spherical in shape, up to 300 &m in diam., sometimes with a radial arrangement of the cells, but in culture the envelopes are usually more irregular in shape and the cell arrangement is random. Envelopes sometimes also contain numerous coccoid bacteria. At the anterior end of the cell are 2 flagella, one long and visible with the light microscope, the other much reduced and visible only with the electron microscope. Chloroplast single, band-shaped, slightly or greatly spiraled in the cell, sometimes with pyrenoid; stigma and girdle lamella absent in chloroplast. Chrysolaminaran vacuole large, at the posterior end of the cell. Contractile vacuoles 1-2, above the middle or near the anterior end. Occasionally flagellated cells of the same morphology but without any trace of color occur both in culture and in field collections. Flagellated cells forming stalks and both colored and colorless amoeboid cells have also been observed in unialgal culture, as well as zoospores swimming outside the gelatinous envelope. Ingestion of solid food particles has been observed in colorless flagellated cells in culture. Dividing cells show little swimming activity. At an early stage of division they form a second long flagellum. Both flagella are first located at the anterior end of the dividing cell but the flagella soon slide along the surface and become situated on opposite sides of the cell. The dividing cell constricts at or near the center and two daughter cells are formed, which may be held together by a fine cytoplasmic thread at their posterior ends for some time before separating completely. Stomatocysts are known from one species. Saccochrysis species occur characteristically in boggy waters and are known from Europeand USA. Species of Saccochrysis resemble the type species of Chromulina and further study may reveal that they should be better placed in the latter genus.

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=44817

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 07 May 2024