Woelkerlingia Alongi, Cormaci & G.Furnari, 2007

Holotype species: Woelkerlingia minuta Alongi, Comaci & G.Furnari

Original publication and holotype designation: Alongi, G., Cormaci, M. & Furnari, G. (2007). Woelkerlingia minuta gen. et sp. nov. from the Mediterranean Sea and a reassessment of the genus Lomathamnion, with a description of two new genera: Hommersandiella gen. nov. and Stegengaea gen. nov. Cryptogamie, Algologie 28: 311-324.

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Description: Thallus minute, up to about 1 mm high, made up of prostrate axes and erect filaments. The prostrate axes, made up of long cells 1.5-3(-4) times the diameter which is 15-25 µm, are fixed to the substrate by rhizoids equipped with digitate endings. The filaments erect, one per axial cell and long attenuated towards the top, they are simple or 1-2 sometimes branched subdichotomously or with pairs of unilateral branches; the cells they have variable lengths between 18 and 35 µm and diameters between 12 and 22 µm. Dioecious gametophytes. Spermatocysts, produced directly by periaxial cells of fertile filaments (3-4 cells long), are grouped in spermatangial heads ovoid or cylindrical (diameter 30-40 µm) and carried terminally on the vegetative filaments. The female fertile filaments are made up of 2 small cells (apical and subapical) carried terminally on the vegetative filaments; the subapical cell bears 2 cells periaxial cells of which one remains sterile while the other (support cell) produces the carpogonial branch of 4 cells and a sterile cell. After fertilization the cell support separates the auxiliary cell from which a few (2-4) gonimoblastic filaments originate which will form the ovoid-shaped carposporocysts. The carposporophyte is devoid of involucral filaments and lacks the large fusion cell The tetrasporocysts, with a diameter of 45-55 µm and with tetrahedral division, are carried terminally on pedicels of (1-)2-4 cells arising both from the erect filaments and from the prostrate axes.

Information contributed by: Cormaci & al. (2023: 437).. The most recent alteration to this page was made on 2023-12-05 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: Cormaci, M., Furnari, G., Alongi, G. & Serio, D. coautrice per le Ceramieae (2023). Flora marina bentonica del Mediterraneo: Rhodophyta - Rhodymeniophycidae III: Ceramiales I (RHODOMELACEAE escluse). Bollettino Accademia Gioenia di Scienze Naturali in Catania 56(386): 81-621, 109 pls.

Comments: The genus is represented in the Mediterranean by only one species: W. minuta. Named for William James Woelkerling (1941-) eminent phycolgist and nomenclaturalist.

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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=50811

Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
M.D. Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 05 December 2023. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 24 April 2024