Asterodinium Sournia, 1972

Holotype species: Asterodinium gracile Sournia

Original publication and holotype designation: Sournia, A. (1972). Quatre nouveaux Dinoflagellés du plancton marin. Phycologia 11(1): 71-74, 8 figs.

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Description: Medium-sized (ca. 80 µ;m) star-shaped organism with 5 arms and a cingulum separating the epicone with one apical and 2 lateral arms from the hypocone with 2 diverging antapical arms. Typical dinokaryon is located in the hypocone. Numerous chloroplasts which seem to act as skeleton in the arms. Flagella not known, as only described from fixed material. Cell covering apparently rigid, but not divided into thecal plates. Sexual reproduction and cyst formation not known. Sournia (1986) placed this genus in an separate order Brachydiniales but speculates that it may be only a developmental stage of other dinoflagellates. Marine plankton, so far known only from its author from waters off Madagascar, Indian Ocean.

Information contributed by: M. Elbrächter. The most recent alteration to this page was made on 2019-08-26 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 neuter.

Most recent taxonomic treatment adopted: Benico, G., Takahashi, K., Lum, W.M. & Iwataki, M. (2019). Morphological variation, ultrastructure, pigment composition and phylogeny of the star-shaped dinoflagellate Asterodinium gracile (Kareniaceae, Dinophyceae). Phycologia 58(4): 405-418.

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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Some of the descriptions included in AlgaeBase were originally from the unpublished Encyclopedia of Algal Genera, organised in the 1990s by Dr Bruce Parker on behalf of the Phycological Society of America (PSA) and intended to be published in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=47277

Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
M.D. Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 26 August 2019. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 26 April 2024