Arthrospira Stizenberger ex Gomont, 1892
Lectotype species: Arthrospira jenneri Stizenberger ex Gomont
Original publication: Gomont, M. (1892 '1893'). Monographie des Oscillariées (Nostocacées Homocystées). Deuxième partie. - Lyngbyées. Annales des Sciences Naturelles, Botanique, Série 7 16: 91-264, pls 1-7.
Request PDFType designated in: Gardner, N.L. (1932). The Myxophyceae of Porto Rico and the Virgin Islands. In: Scientific Survey of Porto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Volume VIII. Part 2. (Anon. Eds), pp. 249-311. New York: New York Academy of Sciences.
Description: Filaments unbranched, solitary and free-living (floating), or in mats which are microscopic or macroscopic, covering the substrate, more or less regularly screw-like and freely coiled along the whole length, with unchanged or continually changing (decreasing or increasing) width of screws; trichomes:spirals width ratio = (2.5)-5-(10). Sheaths usually missing, rarely facultatively developed, colorless, tube-like, joined to trichomes, opened at the ends, containing a single trichome. Trichomes isopolar, 3-10 _m wide, uniseriate, composed of cylindrical cells, constricted or not at the visible crosswalls, not attenuated or slightly attenuated towards the ends, motile (rotation). Cells without aerotopes or (in planktonic species) with aerotopes, more or less isodiametric or shorter than wide, sometimes granular and with condensed granules at the crosswalls; end cells widely rounded and usually with thickened outer cell walls or with calyptras (in developed trichomes); special perforation of cell walls (crosswalls and side walls; see in Guglielmi and Cohen-Bazire (1982); all species ?). Cell content pale or bright blue-green or olive-green; thylakoids situated perpendicularly and irregularly along the cell walls. No heterocytes or akinetes. Cell division cross-wise, perpendicular to the long axis of a trichome, daughter cells grow more or less to the original size before the next division. All except apical cells capable of division. Reproduction by fragmentation of trichomes into motile hormogonia, which separate with assistance from necrotic cells. Several species are benthic in freshwater biotopes; several are planktonic, mainly in tropical and saline (mineral) lakes and reservoirs. Important biotechnological organisms for mass culture (usually under the incorrect name Spirulina platensis). Few species are known from marine littoral biotopes.
Information contributed by: J. Komárek. The most recent alteration to this page was made on 2023-04-22 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: Strunecký, O., Ivanova, A.P. & Mares, J. (2022 '2023'). An updated classification of cyanobacterial orders and families based on phylogenomic and polyphasic analysis (Review). Journal of Phycology 59(1): 12-51.
Verification of Data
Users are responsible for verifying the accuracy of information before use, as noted on the website Content page.
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=43076
Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
M.D. Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 22 April 2023. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 18 April 2024
