Spirotaenia Brébisson, 1848
Lectotype species: Spirotaenia condensata Brébisson
Original publication: Ralfs, J. (1848). The British Desmidieae The drawings by Edward Jenner, A.L.S. pp. [i]-xxii, [i], [1]-226, 35 pls. London: Reeve, Benham & Reeve, King William Street, Strand.
Request PDFType designated in: Silva, P.C. (1952). A review of nomenclatural conservation in the algae from the point of view of the type method. University of California Publications in Botany 25: 241-323.
Description: Cells solitary or grouped within common gelatinous matrix (often paired following division). Cells minute to medium sized (7-270 µm long, length 2-12 times width), elliptic, cylindric or fusiform, with broadly rounded to acutely pointed ends. Chloroplast parietal, spiral band, or axial mass with spiralling lateral ridges. Pyrenoids 2-many. Nucleus at middle but toward one side of cell. Asexual reproduction by transverse cell division only. Sexual reproduction by conjugation recorded for 3 species. Conjugating cells come together within broad gelatinous sheath, without conjugation tube. Zygospores spherical, single (S. obscura, S. truncata) or paired (S. condensata) between gametangia. Zygospore wall in S. condensata and S. obscura with coarse areolae; zygospore of S. truncata with short, conical spines. Karyogamy possibly soon after plasmogamy; meiosis at germination, producing four gones in S. condensata. Most Spirotaenia species rarely collected, usually confined to Europe and North America; only S. condensata and S. obscura common and cosmopolitan, in acidic aquatic habitats or Sphagnum bogs. Occasionally in subaerial habitats.
Information contributed by: J.F. Gerrath & M.D. Guiry. The most recent alteration to this page was made on 2013-05-07 by M.D. Guiry.
Taxonomic status: This name is of an entity that is currently accepted taxonomically.
Most recent taxonomic treatment adopted: Guiry, M.D. (2013). Taxonomy and nomenclature of the Conjugatophyceae (=Zygnematophyceae). Algae. An International Journal of Algal Research 28: 1-29.
Comments: Most Spirotaenia species rarely collected, usually confined to Europe and North America; only S. condensata and S. obscura common and cosmopolitan, in acidic aquatic habitats or Sphagnum bogs. Occasionally in subaerial habitats. Recent studies suggest strongly that Spirotaenia is not related to Spirogyra and may not be part of the Zygnematophyceae but more related to Chlorokybus.
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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=43559
Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
M.D. Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 07 May 2013. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 23 November 2024
