Spiniferodinium T.Horiguchi & M.Chihara, 1987
Holotype species: Spiniferodinium galeiforme T.Horiguchi & Chihara
Original publication and holotype designation: Horiguchi, T. & Chihara, M. (1987). Spiniferodinium galeiforme, a new genus and species of benthic dinoflagellates (Phytodiniales, Pyrrhophyta) from Japan. Phycologia 26(4): 478-487.
Request PDFDescription: Nonmotile vegetative cells alternate with short-lived gymnodinoid zoospores. The nonmotile stage is unicellular, ovoid in shape (about 30-26 µm) and dorsiventrally compressed. They are epilithic or epiphytic, possessing a helmet-shaped cell covering, which is transparent, rigid and is covered by many small, regularly distributed spines. It consists of an outer and inner component. The outer component bears the spines, the inner part is similar to the amphiesma of unarmored dinoflagellates. The cytoplasm contains a typical dinokaryotic nucleus, and many ellipsoidal chloroplasts. These benthic nonmotile unicellular stages produce 2 (1-4) zoospores. In most cases release takes place at the onset of the light period. Several minutes before liberation, the zoospores produce a pseudopodium-like cytoplasmic extension outside the cell and escape by amoeboid movement from the mother cell between the shell and the substratum. The gymnodinoid daughter cells swim for a while and then attach to a substratum by their ventral side. Shortly thereafter the formation of the shell takes place which lasts only a few seconds. At this stage, both longitudinal and transverse grooves are still visible. About one day later the cell divides into new daughter cells but they remain inside the mother cell one or 2 more days before liberation. Sexual processes unknown.
Information contributed by: M. Elbrächter. Edited later.. The most recent alteration to this page was made on 2024-06-14 by M.D. Guiry.
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: 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: Marine, epilithic or epiphytic in sandy beaches also marine planktonic.
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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=46263
Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
M.D. Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 14 June 2024. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 22 November 2024
