Botrydiopsis Borzì, 1889, nom. cons.

Holotype species: Botrydiopsis arhiza Borzì

Original publication and holotype designation: Borzí, A. (1889). Botrydiopsis, nuovo genere di alghe verdi. Bollettino Società Italiana Microscopica 1: 69.

Description: Unicellular, free-living organisms sometimes clumped together in masses. Cells spherical to ellipsoidal with variable dimensions, 4-10 _m when young, up to 150 _m in older cells. Cell wall delicate or thick, colorless, comprising two juxtaposed pieces. Cells sometimes surrounded by stratified mucilaginous envelope. Young cells with single nucleus and one or two cup-shaped, parietal chloroplasts. Older cells with many nuclei, a central reticulate cytoplasm that is highly vacuolized and numerous spindle-shaped chloroplasts. Chloroplasts with or without pyrenoids. Asexual reproduction by zoosporulation. Young cells form two to eight zoospores whereas older cells can produce up to 300 or more. Zoospores 8-12 _m long with two unequal flagella (rarely single), and can be amoeboid. Aplanospores also develop directly at the interior of the cell wall. These aplanospores can thicken their cell walls and go through a resting phase before producing zoospores or additional aplanospores. Sexual reproduction reported by Borzi (1889) has not been confirmed by other authors. Botrydiopsis a common component of humid soils and Sphagnum bogs, and more occasionally in appropriate aquatic environments. Species distinguished based on chloroplast morphology, presence or absence of pyrenoids, form and cytoplasmic structure of zoospores and thickening or not of the cell walls in older cells.

Information contributed by: I. M. Franceschini & H. R. Preisig. The most recent alteration to this page was made on 2021-10-04 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: Kawai, H. & Nakayama, T. (2015). Introduction (Heterokontobionta p.p.), Cryptophyta, Dinophyta, Haptophyta, Heterokontophyta (except Coscinodiscophyceae, Mediophyceae, Fragilariophyceae, Bacillariophyceae, Phaeophyceae, Eustigmatophyceae), Chlorarachniophyta, Euglenophyta. In: Syllabus of plant families. Adolf Engler's Syllabus der Pflanzenfamilien. Ed. 13. Phototrophic eukaryotic Algae. Glaucocystophyta, Cryptophyta, Dinophyta/Dinozoa, Haptophyta, Heterokontophyta/Ochrophyta, Chlorarachnniophyta/Cercozoa, Chlorophyta, Streptophyta p.p. (Frey, W. Eds), pp. 11-64, 103-139. Stuttgart: Borntraeger Science Publishers.

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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=43819

Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
M.D. Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 04 October 2021. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 24 April 2024