Coelosphaerium
| Generic name: COELOSPHAERIUM Nägeli, 1849. Neue Denkschr. Allg. Schweiz. Ges. Gesammten Naturwiss. 10(7): 54. | ||||||||||
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| Type species:Coelosphaerium kuetzingianum Nägeli 1849 | ||||||||||
| Descriptions: Komárek (2003): Coelosphaerium comprises free-living, spherical or oval mucilaginous colonies, in which the cells are arranged irregularly in one marginal layer (but sometimes slightly shifted to one another), or near the surface of the sphere. Colonies sometimes are composed of subcolonies. Mucilage is colorless and homogeneous. Cells are spherical, pale or bright blue-green, and 1-7 μm in diameter. One species has visible aerotopes. Cell division occurs in two planes in successive generations, perpendicular to one another and to the colony surface. Reproduction is by disintegration of a colonv and bv liberation of subcolonies. Komárek & Anagnostidis (1998): Colonies microscopic, more or less spherical or oval, sometimes composed of subcolonies, rarely irregular when old, free-living, usually floating in plankton, enveloped by fine, colourless, usually not sharply defined, sometimes indistinct mucilage; mucilage limited to just around the peripheral layer of cells or forming a gelatinous layer (margin) around cells. Cells more or less in one layer on the colonial periphery, spherical or hemispherical after division, usually slightly or distinctly distant from one another, with or without aerotopes. Mucilage homogeneous, fine, never structured, without any stalks in the colonial center. Komárek (1992): Unicellular - colonial; colonies microscopic, spherical or composed, free living (mainly planktic), enveloped by colourless, indistinct or limited fine mucilage, without any inner stalk system, with cells situated in one layer near the surface of colony. Cells spherical, mainly distant one from another, peripherally situated, in old colonies more densely than in young ones, pale or bright blue-green, two species with aerotopes. Geitler (1932): Zellen kugelig, elhpsoidisch oder verkehrt-eiförmig, während der Teilung oft leicht „herzförmig", zu hohlkugeligen, freischwimmenden Kolonien vereinigt, nicht auf deutlichen Gallertstielen sitzend, meist ohne oder mit undeutlichen Spezialhüllen. Kolonialgallerte häufig radiär gestreift. Zellteilung in den Kolonien nach zwei aufeinander senkrecht stehenden Raumrichtungen. Ausserdem Teilung der ganzen Kolonie. |
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| Reproduction strategies, life cycles, cell division: Komárek & Anagnostidis (1998): Cell division in two planes in successive generations, perpendicular one to another and more or less so to the colonial surface. Reproduction by disintegration of colonies. Komárek (1992):Cell division in two directions in successive generations, perpendicular to each other and to the surface of the colony; the daughter cells separate one from another and grow into the original spherical shape and size before the next division. Reproduction by the disintegration of colonies. |
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| Taxonomic position, higher hierarchy: Cyanophyceae, Chroococcales, Merismopediaceae, Gomphosphaerioideae Notes to taxonomy, misinterpretations:From more than 20 described species about 10 are probably valid and occasionally cited in papers, but only 4 are well known. |
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| Ecology, ecophysiology, ecological significance: Komárek (2003): Ten species are known from plankton of lakes and reservoirs across North America and worldwide (Prescott, 1962; Whitford and Schumacher, 1969; Duthie and Socha, 1976; Stein and Borden, 1979; Sheath and Steinman, 1982; some = Woronichinia spp.); they rarely occur in metaphyton (Komárek and Anagnostidis, 1998). Komárek (1992):Well known species (C. dubium, C. kuetzingianum , C. confertum, C. minutissimum, etc.) are planktic, C. dubium is known only from northern Europe, three other probably with the cosmopolite distribution, the last two being more common in warmer and tropical areas. All species occur redominantly in large, not very eutrophicated reservoirs. The taxonomy, ecology and distribution of other species are still unclear. |
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| List of species: Coelosphaerium aerugineum Lemmermann 1898 Coelosphaerium confertum W. et G.S. West 1896 Coelosphaerium dubium Grunow in Rabenhorst 1865 Coelosphaerium evidenter-marginatum Azevedo et Sant' Anna 1999 Coelosphaerium kuetzingianum Nägeli 1849 Coelosphaerium limnicolum Lund 1942 Coelosphaerium minutissimum Lemmermann 1900 Coelosphaerium natans Lemmermann 1900 Coelosphaerium subarcticum Komárek et Komárková-Legnerová 1992 Synonyms: Excludenda: |
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Drawings: Komárek (1992)
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