Leptolyngbya Anagnostidis & Komárek, 1988, nom. et typ. cons.

Holotype species: Leptolyngbya boryana (Gomont) Anagnostidis & Komárek

Original publication and holotype designation: Anagnostidis, K. & Komárek, J. (1988). Modern approach to the classification system of cyanophytes. 3. Oscillatoriales. Archiv für Hydrobiologie, Supplement 80(1-4): 327-472, 35 figs, 13 tables.

Description: Filamentous; filaments long, solitary or coiled into clusters and fine mats (which are sometimes to macroscopic and several cm in diameter), arcuated, waved or intensely coiled, isopolar, thin, fine, 0.5-3.2 _m wide, with simple, thin but firm, usually colorless facultative sheaths opened at the apical end; sheaths joined to the trichomes or slightly distant from them, enveloping only one, very rarely (in short sections) two trichomes; rarely up to very rarely false branching (more common under special cultivation conditions), usually with only one lateral branch. Trichomes fine, cylindrical, usually not attenuated to the ends or slightly attenuated, with rounded or conical apical cells, not constricted or constricted at the crosswalls, nonmotile. Cells Å isodiametrical or longer than wide (to several times), cylindrical, with Å homogeneous content, without aerotopes, rarely with scarce prominent granules, pale blue-green, greyish, olive-green, yellowish or reddish; end cells without thickened cell walls or calyptras. Heterocytes and akinetes absent. Cells divide by Å symmetrical (rarely asymmetrical) crosswise binary fission, cells grow into original size before next division. Reproduction by motile (?) hormogonia, liberated at trichome ends, fragmented without help of typical necridic cells, but sometimes after death of cells. Leptolyngbya species are very common in soils and in periphyton and metaphyton of freshwater and halophilous (marine) biotopes, several species are known from thermal and mineral springs or from aerophytic rocky sites or walls; characteristic species grow endogloeic in mucilage and in colonial slime of other algae. They grow well in culture and are available for cultivation, one strain of "Plectonema boryanum" (= Leptolyngbya boryanum) was used as a model strain for bioassays. Taxonomy is not well known in respect of their morphological simplicity. Very common genus with many described, but all need taxonomic reevaluation and definition of diacritical features; many species were described under the generic names "Lyngbya", "Phormidium" and "Plectonema". Emended description (Kastovsky et al., 2023: [25].

Information contributed by: J. Komárek. The most recent alteration to this page was made on 2024-11-20 by G.M. Guiry.

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

Gender: This genus name is currently treated as feminine.

Most recent taxonomic treatment adopted: Kastovsky, J., Johansen, J.R., Hauerová, R. & Akagha, M.U. (2023). Hot is rich - an enormous diversity of simple trichal cyanobacteria from Yellowstone hot springs. Diversity and Distributions 15(9): 975 [1-29].

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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=43604

Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
G.M. Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 20 November 2024. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 25 November 2024