Pleodorina W.R.Shaw, 1894

Holotype species: Pleodorina californica W.R.Shaw

Original publication and holotype designation: Shaw, W.R (1894). Pleodorina, a new genus of the Volvocineae. Bot. Gaz. 19: 279-283. pi. 27. Botanical Gazette 19: 279-283, pl. XXVII.

Description: Colonies spherical, ovoid or ellipsoidal, containing 32, 64 or 128 cells arranged radially at periphery of a gelatinous matrix. Colonies with small, obligately somatic cells mainly at anterior pole, and large reproductive cells (gonidia) in remaining portion. The matrix with or without individual sheaths; this is species dependent. Cells spherical or ovoid, each with two equal flagella, a stigma, more than several contractile vacuoles on the surface, and a massive cup-shaped chloroplast. Chloroplasts of somatic cells with a single basal pyrenoid whereas reproductive cells have multiple ones. Stigmata of anterior cells are larger than in posterior cells. Asexual reproduction by autocolony formation; each reproductive cells of the colony divides successively to become a plakea, which inverts to develop a daughter colony. Sexual reproduction anisogamous, forming walled aplanozygotes. Reproductive cells divide successively to become sperm packets (bundles of male gametes) or develop into female gametes without cell division. The germinating zygote gives rise to a single biflagellate gone cell. Pleodorina is cosmopolitan in freshwater.

Information contributed by: H. Nozaki. The most recent alteration to this page was made on 2012-06-29 by Michael Guiry.

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

Most recent taxonomic treatment adopted: Masjuk, N.P. & Lilitska, G.G. (2011). Volvocales. In: Algae of Ukraine: diversity, nomenclature, taxonomy, ecology and geography. Volume 3: Chlorophyta. (Tsarenko, P.M., Wasser, S.P. & Nevo, E. Eds), pp. 218-225. Ruggell: A.R.A. Gantner Verlag K.-G..

Comments: Pleodorina was originally described with a single species, P. californica, and distinguished from Eudorina by the specialization of reproductive cells in part of the colony. Later, various concepts for Pleodorina and Eudorina were proposed, including the synonymy of Pleodorina in Eudorina, but the two genera were eventually distinguished based on the presence or absence of obligately somatic cells, respectively. Abundant bacteria-like endosymbionts were observed in the cytoplasm of P. japonica using DAPI and electron microscopy.

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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=43495

Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
Michael Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 29 June 2012. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 19 April 2024