Characiellopsis M. O. P. Iyengar, 1975

Holotype species: Characiochloris anophelesi M.O.P.Iyengar

Description: Solitary, ovate to clavate cells, attached to substratum with small mucilage pad. Cells 15-70 x 4-33 &m, with broadly rounded apex, and narrowing to short stipitate base. Cell walls smooth. Cells uninucleate; stellate chloroplast single in young cells, becoming multiple (up to 4) with age, each chloroplast with central pyrenoid with conspicuous starch sheath. Asexual reproduction by biflagellate, naked zoospores, or aplanospores; many spores produced per sporangium and released through specialized structure at cell apex. Zoospores in C. anophelesii released in common membrane after initial motile period in sporangium; spores dispersed after disintegration of membrane. Zoospores with parietal, non-stellate chloroplast. Sexual reproduction unknown. Characiellopsis epiphytic on algae or mosses (C. skujae) or epizoic on mosquito larvae (C. anophelesii) in freshwater; species reported only from Europe and India respectively. Genus distinguished from Characium based on presence of stellate chloroplast; genus assigned to subfamily Characioideae. Species distinguished based on chloroplast number and host identity.

Information contributed by: D. Garbary and T. Kalina. The most recent alteration to this page was made on 2004-09-17 by Robert Wilkes.

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

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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Some of the descriptions included in AlgaeBase were originally from the unpublished Encyclopedia of Algal Genera, organised in the 1990s by Dr Bruce Parker on behalf of the Phycological Society of America (PSA) and intended to be published in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=47393

Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
Robert Wilkes in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 17 September 2004. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 24 November 2024