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Issue: Vol. 282 No. 3: 28 October 2016
Type: Article
Published: 2016-10-28
DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.282.3.1
Page range: 171–185
Abstract views: 26
PDF downloaded: 1

Spelaeonaias gen. nov., a new true-branched cyanobacterium from Cave Vlychada (Diros, Peloponnese, Greece)

National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Faculty of Biology, Department of Ecology and Systematics, Panepistimiopolis, Athens 15784, Greece
National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Faculty of Biology, Department of Ecology and Systematics, Panepistimiopolis, Athens 15784, Greece
University of Barcelona, Faculty of Pharmacy, Botany, Av. Joan XXIII s/n, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain
National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Faculty of Biology, Department of Ecology and Systematics, Panepistimiopolis, Athens 15784, Greece
National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Faculty of Biology, Department of Ecology and Systematics, Panepistimiopolis, Athens 15784, Greece
true-branched Cyanobacteria polyphasic taxonomy LM TEM SEM CLSM 16S rRNA phylogeny Algae

Abstract

Based on aspects of the classical LM morphology, and a combination of ultrastructural and molecular data, a new true-branched cyanobacterium, i.e. Spelaeonaias floccida Lamprinou, Christodoulou, Hernández-Mariné et Economou-Amilli, gen. nov. sp. nov., is described from the Greek cave Vlychada (part of the ‘Diros’ cave complex, Peloponnese, Greece). The new monospecific genus bears a Y-like type of branching, intercalary heterocytes and terminal heterocytes at the ensheathed hormogonia, thus morphologically resembling Symphyonemopsis. The subaerophytic growth of the ensheathed hormogonia is considered as the autapomorphic feature for Spelaeonaias. The 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that S. floccida forms a well congruent monophyletic cluster along with two stigonematalean strains SA1301 and SP302 from Maltese catacombs (GenBank: HQ917695 and HQ917696 respectively).