Temnogametum West & G.S.West, 1897

Holotype species: Temnogametum heterosporum West & G.S.West

Original publication and holotype designation: West, W. & West, G.S. (1897). Welwitsch's African freshwater algae. Journal of Botany, British and Foreign 35: 1-7, 33-42, 77-89, 113-122, 172-183, 235-243, 264-272, 297-304, pls 365-369.

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Description: Thalli comprised of uniseriate unbranched filaments. Cells cylindrical, 10-45 um in diameter; up to several times as long; cell wall two-layered with inner cellulose, outer mucilage layer; end walls plane; no flagellated stages. Some species with purple cytoplasm. Cells uninucleate; chloroplasts one per cell; axile, platelike with pyrenoids in a row or scattered. Asexual reproduction by aplanospores and parthenospores. Life cycle haplobiontic, meiosis zygotic. Sexual reproduction by scalariform or lateral conjugation. Conjugation tubes absent; filaments in scalariform mode geniculate; gametangia of shortened cells rich in food stores; gametangial walls adhere and opening forms between them; these enlarged connecting walls develop into lateral walls of zygospore. Zygospore quadrangular, remaining attached to cell of parental filament at each of four corners. In lateral conjugation, wall between adjacent cells gradually breaks down, gametes fuse to form ovoid zygospore. Zygospore with three wall layers, median wall smooth.

Information contributed by: R.M. McCourt and R.W. Howshaw. The most recent alteration to this page was made on 2013-09-13 by M.D. Guiry.

Taxonomic status: This name is of an entity that is currently accepted taxonomically.

Most recent taxonomic treatment adopted: Guiry, M.D. (2013). Taxonomy and nomenclature of the Conjugatophyceae (=Zygnematophyceae). Algae. An International Journal of Algal Research 28: 1-29.

Comments: Temnogametum species are uncommon, reported from India, Pakistan, China, tropical Africa and South America; single species, T. tirupatiense, recorded in North America from Ontario. Trait of conjugation places genus in Zygnematales but otherwise phylogenetic position unclear. Vegetative morphology similar to Mougeotia.

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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Some of the descriptions included in AlgaeBase were originally from the unpublished Encyclopedia of Algal Genera, organised in the 1990s by Dr Bruce Parker on behalf of the Phycological Society of America (PSA) and intended to be published in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=46332

Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
M.D. Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 13 September 2013. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 28 March 2024

 
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