Prasinococcus Miyashita & Chihara, 1993

Holotype species: Prasinococcus capsulatus Miyashita & Chihara

Original publication and holotype designation: Miyashita, H., Ikemoto, H., Kurano, N., Miyachi, S. & Chihara, M. (1993). Prasinococcus capsulatus gen. et sp. nov., a new marine coccoid prasinophyte. Journal of General and Applied Microbiology 39: 571-582, 8 figs.

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Description: Thalli microscopic, comprised of ca. 10-12 (-20) rounded to elongate cells in dense, parenchymatous mass; filamentous stages absent. During growth from spores cells arranged in rectangular blocks in one plane. Cells 8-12 &m long and 5-8 &m in diameter with single parietal nucleus and single stellate chloroplast with prominent pyrenoid surrounded by small starch grains. Asexual reproduction by fragmentation of cell masses or by aplanospores (endospores) formed in sporangia differentiated from vegetative cells. Two to eight rounded to elongate spores formed in each sporangium, spore release by rupture of sporangial wall. Flagellated stages and sexual reproduction unknown. Prasinococcus known only from Europe and Signy Island, Antarctica; mostly on shaded calcarious substrata including limestone caverns. Prasinococcus forms one end of a range of morphological variation in Prasiolaceae (Prasiola is the other extreme). Thalli microscopic, comprised of ca. 10-12 (-20) rounded to elongate cells in dense, parenchymatous mass; filamentous stages absent. During growth from spores cells arranged in rectangular blocks in one plane. Cells 8-12 &m long and 5-8 &m in diameter with single parietal nucleus and single stellate chloroplast with prominent pyrenoid surrounded by small starch grains. Asexual reproduction by fragmentation of cell masses or by aplanospores (endospores) formed in sporangia differentiated from vegetative cells. Two to eight rounded to elongate spores formed in each sporangium, spore release by rupture of sporangial wall. Flagellated stages and sexual reproduction unknown. Prasinococcus known only from Europe and Signy Island, Antarctica; mostly on shaded calcarious substrata including limestone caverns. Prasinococcus forms one end of a range of morphological variation in Prasiolaceae (Prasiola is the other extreme).

Information contributed by: D. Garbary. The most recent alteration to this page was made on 2020-07-25 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 masculine.

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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.

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Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
M.D. Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 25 July 2020. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 26 April 2024