Zygogonium Kützing, 1843, nom. et typ. cons.
Holotype species: Zygogonium ericetorum Kützing
Original publication: Kützing, F.T. (1843). Phycologia generalis oder Anatomie, Physiologie und Systemkunde der Tange. Mit 80 farbig gedruckten Tafeln, gezeichnet und gravirt vom Verfasser. pp. [part 1]: [i]-xxxii, [1]-142, [part 2:] 143-458, 1, err.], pls 1-80. Leipzig: F.A. Brockhaus.
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: Thalli comprised of branched or unbranched uniseriate filaments. Horizontal filaments on substrate may give rise to erect branches. Cells cylindrical, 10-33 um in diameterup to 150 um long; cell wall two-layered with inner cellulose, outer mucilage layer; end walls plane; no flagellated stages. Cell walls and contents often purple, sometimes yellow, or brown in terrestrial forms. Cells uninucleate; chloroplasts usually two per cell, compressed-globular or pillow-shaped, similar to those of Zygnema but lacking radiating branches; small radial projections sometimes present in exceptionally robust growing condition. Akinetes and aplanospores common. In some dry habitats vegetative cells may become chain of akinetes. Cytoplasmic residue remains in cell after spore formation. Life cycle haplobiontic, meiosis zygotic. Sexual reproduction by conjugation infrequent; scalariform and lateral modes occur. Special transverse walls cut off fusing gametes from gametangia, become outer wall of zygospore. Gametes fuse and zygospore forms in conjugation tube; in one species gametes may encyst before fusing.
Information contributed by: R.M. McCourt and R.W. Hoshaw. The most recent alteration to this page was made on 2022-04-05 by E.A. Molinari Novoa.
Taxonomic status: This name is of an entity that is currently accepted taxonomically.
Gender: This genus name is currently treated as neuter.
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: Collected in North America, South America, Africa, Asia, and Australia. Amphibious or terrestrial, often on acid substrates and moderately warm thermal springs. Fat globules and starch often accumulate in terrestrial forms. Trait of conjugation places Zygogonium in Zygnematales. Vegetative thallus difficult to distinguish from Zygnema, but latter lacks cytoplasmic residue after spore or zygospore formation.
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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=43568
Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
E.A. Molinari Novoa in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 05 April 2022. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 12 December 2024
