Westiellopsis Janet, 1941

Holotype species: Westiellopsis prolifica Janet

Original publication and holotype designation: Janet, M. (1941). Westiellopsis prolifica, gen. et sp. nov., a new member of the Stigonemataceae. Annals of Botany 5(1): 167-170.

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Description: Filamentous-thallose; filaments intensely true-branched, composed of primary thicker, more or less creeping, torulous, uni-, two or polyseriate trichomes and secondary lateral ones, generally thinner and growing in erect uniseriate branches (T-type of branching) without visible sheaths. Trichomes intensely constricted at crosswalls, only young branches sometimes consist in some segments of long, cylindrical cells, without constrictions at crosswalls; branches not attenuated towards the ends; at the ends of secondary branches dilated terminal portions (chains of more or less rounded cells) with short, wide cells, intensely constricted at crosswalls, occasionally bi-seriate (after lengthwise division), called "pseudohormocysts" by original author; "pseudohormocysts" probably with narrow sheaths. Cells in old trichomes barrel-shaped, isodiametric or slightly shorter or longer than wide. Heterocytes oblong-cylindrical, intercalary, solitary, cylindrical, of different length. Akinetes develop solitary, in old parts of trichomes. Cells divide in different planes in old trichomes, and mainly crosswise in branches. Reproduction by solitary monocytes (planocytes ?), which liberate from "pseudohormocysts", and from old, torulous trichomes and branches. The type species isolated from garden soil samples, India (Madras).

Information contributed by: J. Komárek. The most recent alteration to this page was made on 2023-03-06 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.

Comments: Original description: Thallus filamentous with true branching; filaments of two kinds, primary filaments slightly thicker and more or less creeping, secondary filaments, thinner and generally growing erect; filaments without a sheath and consisting of one row of cells; heterocysts intercalary; the dilated terminal portions of the secondary branches, by profuse transverse and longitudinal division, form clusters of rounded cells (pseudohormocysts) the contents of which escape as gonidia and develop into new plants.

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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=46421

Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
M.D. Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 06 March 2023. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 28 March 2024

 
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