Haematococcus pluvialis Flotow 1844

Current name: Haematococcus lacustris (Girod-Chantrans) Rostafinski
Bainbridge Island, Washington, USA: birdbath - 07 April 2008. Karl Bruun (skogenman@earthlink.net)

Publication Details
Haematococcus pluvialis Flotow 1844: 415, 537, pls XXIV, XXV [24, 25]

Published in: Flotow, J. von (1844). Beobachtungen über Haematococcus pluvialis. Verhandlungen der Kaiserlichen Leopoldinisch-Carolinischen Deutschen Akademie der Naturforscher 12(Abt. 2): 413-606, 3 pls.

Request PDF

Type Species
This is the type species (lectotype) of the genus Haematococcus.

Status of Name
This name is currently regarded as a synonym of Haematococcus lacustris (Girod-Chantrans) Rostafinski.

Source of Synonymy
Nakada, T. & Ota, S. (2016). What is the correct name for the type of Haematococcus Flot. (Volvocales, Chlorophyceae)?. Taxon 65(2): 343-348, 4 figures.

Type Information
Type locality: "on the footpaths between Hirschberg and Grunau" [Grunau, near Hirshberg in Silesia, Germany]; (INA 1996: 413) Lectotype: Flotow (1844), pl. XXV, fig. 70: (designated in support of lectotype) cryopreserved strain SAG192.80 (epitype) (Allewaert et al. 2015: 591) Notes: "On a small botanical excursion with Dr. Körher on 6 September 1841, we found in the shallow cavity of a granite slab ... the bridge over the moat and the on the footpaths between Hirschberg and the neighbouring village of Grunau ... forms in stagnant rainwater , a red matter ..." [from the German]

Origin of Species Name
Adjective (Latin), produced by rain.

General Environment
This is a freshwater species.

Description
emend Wille 1903 (Pentecost in John et al. 2002: 319).

Created: 11 April 2002 by M.D. Guiry.

Last updated: 11 April 2023

Verification of Data
Users are responsible for verifying the accuracy of information before use, as noted on the website Content page.

Nomenclatural note
Pocock (1960) disagrees with Droop (1956) over the status of this species and considers H. lacustris to be the correct name. - (27 June 2013) - G.M. Guiry

Habitat notes
Gutman et al. (2009) suggest that the chytrid Paraphysoderma sedebokerensis (nom. prov.) is highly specific for Haematococcus pluvialis, but has a limited capacity to infect other green algae. - (09 March 2010) - G.M. Guiry
Cosmopolitan; a common and widely distributed species in small rock pools, cattle troughs, ponds and ornamental bird baths, especially in harder waters, including pools enriched with zinc (Pentecost in John et al. 2002). - (26 June 2013) - G.M. Guiry

Usage note
Grown commercially for astaxanthin and other carotenoids. - (26 June 2013) - G.M. Guiry

Linking to this page: https://www.algaebase.org/search/species/detail/?species_id=27370

Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
M.D. Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 11 April 2023. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 01 April 2025