Fottea, 2023 (vol. 23), issue 1

Original article

DNA signaturing derived from the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2): a novel tool for identifying Desmodesmus species (Scenedesmaceae, Chlorophyta)

Minh Ly Nguyen, Xuan Cuong Mai, Nhat Ha Chu, Dang Mau Trinh, Chao-Lin Liu, Chia-Rui Shen

Fottea 2023, 23(1):1-7 | DOI: 10.5507/fot.2022.005  

The freshwater green algal genus Desmodesmus contains many cryptic species that are difficult to identify using morpho-anatomy. This study analyzed 310 ITS2 sequences related to Desmodesmus species from GenBank and developed a new tool named DNA signaturing. DNA signaturing is a species identification method using signature sequences specific for each species or strain group within the genus Desmodesmus. These signature sequences had 18-33 nucleotides in length. This tool could exactly identify 19 species and 24 strain groups of Desmodesmus. In addition, a signature sequence, AGA GGC TTA AAC TGG GAC C, was specific for almost...

Humidophila (Bacillariophyceae) in subtropical mountain springs and subaerial habitats, Paraná state, Brazil, with the description of H. piraquarae sp. nov.

Paula Carolina Ferreira, Vanessa Merlo Kava, Thelma Alvim Veiga Ludwig

Fottea 2023, 23(1):8-20 | DOI: 10.5507/fot.2022.008  

The genus Humidophila is mainly characterized by small cells, striae often composed by one elongated areola occluded by thin hymenes. Species are distributed globally and are common in moist sub-aerial habitats. We identified five Humidophila species found in the well-conserved freshwater bodies and subaerial wet habitats from the mountain region "Mananciais da Serra". Four previously known species (Humidophila brekkaensis, H. contenta, H. nienta, H. paracontenta) and one new species (Humidophila piraquarae sp. nov.) were described and illustrated based on light and scanning electron microscopy observations. Humidophila...

One new species of Aneumastus D.G. Mann et Stickle (Bacillariophyceae) from Krka River, Croatia

Marija Gligora Udovič, Mirela Šušnjara, Antonija Kulaš, Gordana Goreta, Jasna Arapov, Zlatko Levkov

Fottea 2023, 23(1):21-29 | DOI: 10.5507/fot.2022.010  

Karst rivers in Croatia are common phenomena and known biodiversity hotspots for many different groups of organisms. Due their importance from a natural, cultural and socio-economic point of view, most of them are protected as National Parks. Diatoms in these habitats are not well known, and recently detailed study has been started. During observations of samples from Lake Visovac on Krka River, one Aneumastus species with specific morphological features, has been recorded. The species is characterized by linear valves with almost parallel margins in the mid-valve, rostrate apices and striae that are partly biseriate, coarsely punctate and distantly...

The genus Dorofeyukea (Bacillariophyta, Stauroneidaceae) in karst environments in the Brazilian Pantanal: with the description of four new species

Eduardo Antônio Tusset, Priscila Izabel Tremarin, Thelma Alvim Veiga Ludwig, Luciana de Souza Cardoso

Fottea 2023, 23(1):30-48 | DOI: 10.5507/fot.2022.011  

In a Brazilian karst environment, composed predominantly of carbonate rocks, diatoms were collected in periphytic habitat (epiphyton, epilithon, epipsammon) in lentic and lotic water bodies from the Serra da Bodoquena. This Pantanal region is known for its tourist and scenic value, covering springs and rivers with extensive formation of active limestone tufa. Six species of Dorofeyukea were investigated under light and electron microscopy. The genus is characterized by a narrow stauroid fascia surrounded by some irregularly shortened striae, uniseriate slightly radiated striae, areolae circular or rectangular covered internally by a hymenes...

Khargia gen. nov., a new genus of simple trichal Cyanobacteria from the Persian Gulf

Somayeh Rasouli-Dogaheh, Mostafa Noroozi, Javad Khansha, Mohammad Ali Amoozegar, Rezvan Rahimi, Mahdi Moshtaghi Nikou, Tomáš Hauer

Fottea 2023, 23(1):49-61 | DOI: 10.5507/fot.2022.012  

Information regarding the diversity of Cyanobacteria in many parts of the world is still minimal. One example of a region that has not yet been widely studied is south-western Asia, including the region of the Persian Gulf. A culture-dependent study of cyanobacterial diversity in a rainwater basin on Kharg Island enabled the isolation of a novel taxon, previously unnamed, from a simple trichal cyanobacterium. Further comparisons showed the existence of closely related strains/taxa from other parts of the world, namely the strains CCALA 945 isolated from South Italy and "Leptolyngbya india" from India. Herein, we have thus described the new genus...

A critical analysis of the Fragilaria vaucheriae complex (Bacillariophyta) in Europe

Bart Van de Vijver, Tanja M. Schuster, Gunnar Steinn Jónsson, Iris Hansen, David M. Williams, Wolf-Henning Kusber, Carlos E. Wetzel, Luc Ector

Fottea 2023, 23(1):62-96 | DOI: 10.5507/fot.2022.013  

Fragilaria vaucheriae is one of the most common Fragilaria species in Europe, typically reported from impacted, eutrophic water bodies. Despite its ubiquity, the species presents a broad morphological variability, urging a complete taxonomic revision based on the analysis of the morphology of a substantial number of historic and recent populations. In the present study, type material of Exilaria vaucheriae, Fragilaria rinoi, and Echinella fasciculata β [var.] truncata was investigated using LM and SEM observations, together with more than 10 historic and recent populations. The results based on these comparisons...

A new species of Amphorotia (Bacillariophyta) from a freshwater section of the Pearl River with comments on associated species and biogeography of the genus

Ji-Shu Guo, Yang Zhang, Hong-Qu Tang, John Patrick Kociolek, Lian-Cong Luo, Yan-Ling Li

Fottea 2023, 23(1):97-109 | DOI: 10.5507/fot.2022.014  

Based on a review of material previously studied, and new water samples, species of the genus Amphorotia were investigated with respect to their morphology and geographical distribution, especially in subtropical Asian coastal areas. Six Amphorotia species from China are investigated. They all possess amphoroid frustule symmetry, presence of spines and, when detected, a single plastid. These features as well as other details of the frustules were documented with light and scanning electron microscopy. Five of the taxa, A. reimerii, A. mokonensis, A. baicalensis, A. zhujiangensis, and A. curvata are newly...

Unsuspected findings about phylogeny and ultrastructure of the enigmatic cyanobacterium Microcrocis geminata resulted in its epitypification and novel placement in Geminocystaceae

Jan Pokorný, Lenka Štenclová, Jan Kaštovský

Fottea 2023, 23(1):110-121 | DOI: 10.5507/fot.2022.016  

The genus Microcrocis belongs to long ago established cyanobacterial taxa for which relevant data required for a modern taxonomic analysis remained unknown for a long time. In present study we proposed an epitype originating from a large natural population of the type species M. geminata. Through isolating clean individual colonies from the environmental sample, sufficient material for a single colony PCR and amplification of genomic DNA by MDA method was obtained. Molecular analyses of the 16S rRNA gene determined the unsuspected position of the cyanobacterium within the family Geminocystaceae, forming a distinct branch with two Merismopedia...

Investigation of the type material of Microneis gracillima, Navicula pyrenaica, Achnanthes amphicephala, Achnanthes thienemannii and Achnanthidium rostropyrenaicum (Achnanthidiaceae, Bacillariophyta) and additional populations of the species

Ingrid Jüttner, Carlos E. Wetzel, Bart Van de Vijver, Zlatko Levkov, Dmitry Chudaev, David M. Williams, Luc Ector

Fottea 2023, 23(1):122-140 | DOI: 10.5507/fot.2022.015  

The historic type material of Microneis gracillima, Navicula pyrenaica, Achnanthes amphicephala, Achnanthes thienemannii and Achnanthidium rostropyrenaicum was investigated together with additional European populations of these species using light and scanning electron microscopy. The morphology of the species was compared to similar taxa. Achnanthes amphicephala is transferred to the genus Achnanthidium. The species are distinguished from each other in the shape of their poles and in valve outline. There are currently very few photographic records of the species, but our results suggest that...

Point of view, Perspective, opinion and commentary

Taxonomic review of cyanobacteria 2021/2022 according to polyphasic evaluation

Jiří Komárek

Fottea 2023, 23(1):141-148 | DOI: 10.5507/fot.2022.017  

The progress of the taxonomy of cyanobacteria should be realized from the synthesis of all data, obtained by any method or procedure. Such synthesis must be as complete as possible. Phylogenetic reconstructions exhibit often conflicts with morphological characters. Taxa above the genus level are often polyphyletic, which introduces confusion into the cyanobacterial taxonomic classification. This article attempts to synthesize results from available literature and to propose a novel view of the taxonomy of cyanobacteria on the level of families and orders.