Meiodiscus G.W.Saunders & McLachlan, 1991

Holotype species: Meiodiscus spetsbergensis (Kjellman) G.W.Saunders & McLachlan

Original publication and holotype designation: Saunders, G.W. & McLachlan, J.L. (1991). Morphology and reproduction of Meiodiscus spetsbergensis (Kjellman) gen. et comb. nov., a new genus of Rhodophysemataceae (Rhodophyta). Phycologia 30: 272-286.

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Description: Thallus composed of uniseriate filaments in erect and prostrate axes. Filaments of prostrate axes laterally adherent to form a compact, pseudoparenchymatous monostromatic disc with cell fusions. Erect filaments free, variable in length, arising singly or in groups from the prostrate disc. Branching irregular. Chloroplasts several per cell, parietal, ribbon-shaped to discoid, containing B-phycoerythrin. Gametangial plants unknown. Tetrasporangia formed terminally, regenerating repeatedly from a basal generative stalk cell. Spores regularly cruciately or decussately arranged. Tetraspores give rise in culture to further tetrasporangial plants.

Information contributed by: M.D. Guiry. The most recent alteration to this page was made on 2018-04-16 by M.D. Guiry.

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

Most recent taxonomic treatment adopted: Saunders, G.W., Jackson, C. & Salomaki, E.D. (2017 '2018'). Phylogenetic analyses of transcriptome data resolve familial assignments for genera of the red-algal Acrochaetiales-Palmariales complex (Nemaliophycidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 119: 151-159, 2 fig., 3 tables.

Comments: This recently described monotypic genus is based on a cold-water species widely known as Rhodochorton penicilliforme (Kjellman) Rosenvinge. A chromosome number of 24 was noted by Saunders and McLachlan (1991) for plants with tetrasporangia and therefore putatively diploid. A chromosome number of 12-14 was noted by West (1970) for the closely related Rhodochorton concrescens K.M. Drew, thought to be closely related to M. spetsbergensis by Guiry in Irvine et al. (1975).

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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Some of the descriptions included in AlgaeBase were originally from the unpublished Encyclopedia of Algal Genera, organised in the 1990s by Dr Bruce Parker on behalf of the Phycological Society of America (PSA) and intended to be published in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=37659

Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
M.D. Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 16 April 2018. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 21 November 2024