Paulsenella Chatton, 1920

Holotype species: Paulsenella chaetoceratis (Paulsen) Chatton

Original publication and holotype designation: Chatton, É. (1920). Les Péridiniens parasites. Morphologie, reproduction, éthologie. Archives de Zoologie Expérimentale et Générale 59(F1): 1-475, 161 figures, 18 plates.

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Description: Ectoparasites of diatoms, small Gymnodinium-like dinospores without chloroplasts, apparently chemotactically locate and attach to the diatoms, producing a peduncle of species-specific complicated structure. Food uptake by myzocytosis, during which the aflagellated trophont gradually enlarges. After feeding has terminated, it detaches from the host and begins binary fission inside the primary cyst wall. Both daughter cells form new thick cyst walls, becoming secondary cysts in which binary fission again takes place. Secondary cysts may remain enclosed in the primary cyst wall which later becomes thinner and eventually disappears. Secondary cysts may divide again, forming a tertiary or even a quaternary cyst. In the final cyst stage, twp dinospores develop from each cyst, which serve as zoosporangia. After a postmaturation phase, the dinospores can infect a new host. Some evidence suggests sexuality, including nuclear cyclosis; resting cysts may belong to the sexual cycle.

Information contributed by: M. Elbrächter. The most recent alteration to this page was made on 2020-04-13 by M.D. Guiry.

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

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.

Comments: Ectoparasitic on marine diatoms, common in the North Sea and adjacent regions, also reported from coastal waters off Argentina. Infection rate may be very high, producing a great impact on the population dynamics of the host.

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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=44937

Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
M.D. Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 13 April 2020. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 25 November 2024