Home

Myxosarcina

Generic name: MYXOSARCINA Printz, 1921. Kong. Norske Vidensk. Selsk. Skr. 1920(1): 35.
Synonyms:
Diagnosis:
Type species:Myxosarcina concinna Printz 1921.
Descriptions:
Komárek & Anagnostidis (1998): Cells in small groups (subcolonies) with up to 32 cells, later in packet-like, cubic-rounded or irregular, sometimes slightly flattened or blastoparenchymatous colonies, forming granular mats on the substrate; cells densely packed. Colonies freeliving among other algae or freely on the substrate. Mucilaginous envelopes (sheaths) thin or very slightly widened, distinct, firm, colourless or yellow-brown. Cells rounded polygonal or rounded-irregular, in young colonies in more or less short perpendicular rows, later irregularly disposed.
Komárek (1992):Unicellular - colonial; colonies more or less spherical, microscopic, sarcinoid, not polarized, later multicellular, packet-like or sarcinoid, grouped usually densely in irregular agglomerations, enveloped by narrow, tight, fine or firm, colourless, sometimes slightly lamellated envelopes. Cells irregular spherical, later irregular,more or less polygonal with rounded corners; cell content blue-green, olive-green, yellowish or reddish, with solitary granules.
Geitler (1932): Kolonien abgerundet würfelig, aus dicht gedrängten, far: kubischen oder verschieden abgeplatteten Zellen bestehend, ein Blastoparenchym bildend. Teilungen nach drei Raumrichtunger. die anfangs regelmäßig senkrecht aufeinander stehen; im Alter auch schiefe Teilungen. Membranen dünn, aber deutlich, oder mitteldick. Endosporenbildung.
Genotype differences, molecular
data:
Reproduction strategies, life cycles, cell division:
Komárek & Anagnostidis (1998): Cells divide irregularly by binary fission in three or more planes, in older colonies often obliquely, forming groups  of cells. In old colonies some cells occasionally (mainly in the margin) change into temporarily motile baeocytes (planocytes). Reproduction by disintegration of colonies and by baeocytes.
Komárek (1992): Division of cells in three or more directions in successive generations, the daughter cells do not grow into original shape of the mother cell; several cells divide in distinct phases of life cycle (under special conditions) into motile nanocytes.
Ultrastructure:
Taxonomic position, higher hierarchy:
Cyanophyceae, Chroococcales, Xenococcaceae
Notes to taxonomy, misinterpretations:
Komárek & Anagnostidis (1998): The genera Chroococcidiopsis and Myxosarcina are distinguishable only by motility of baeocytes according to Waterbury & Stanier (1978). This feature is, however, problematic; the traditional characters distinguish well both these taxa on the generic level.
Ecology, ecophysiology, ecological significance:
Komárek (1992): In metaphyton and periphyton in submerse habitats among algae and water plants, in hot and mineral springs; majority of species occurs in aerophytic biotopes (wet rocks, tree trunks), including the type species. About distribution is little known, but many species have probably the limited areas of distribution in respect of the special ecology.
Physiology and biochemistry:
Distribution, endemism, problematic citations:
Reference strain:
Infrageneric scheme, species concept:
List of species:
Myxosarcina amethystina Copeland 1936
Myxosarcina cloacarum Saxena et al. 1971
Myxosarcina concinna Printz 1921
Myxosarcina decolorata (Varma et Mitra) Komárek et Anagnostidis 1995
Myxosarcina gloeocapsoides (Setchell et Gardner) Komárek et Anagnostidis 1995
Myxosarcina rubra (Gardner) Bourrelly 1970
Myxosarcina salina Frémy in de Toni 1940
Myxosarcina tatrica (Starmach) Komárek et Anagnostidis 1995
Myxosarcina thermalis Thomas et Gonzalvez 1965

Unclear taxa:
Myxosarcina minuta Vogel 1955
Myxosarcina spectabilis sensu Vasishta 1963

Keys:
List of stains:
Drawings:
Komárek 1992
Application technology:
Literature:
  2.1 taxonomy: Geitler 1932, Geitler 1942, Waterbury & Stanier 1978, Anagnostidis et al. 1983, Komárek & Anagnostidis 1985, Komárek & Anagnostidis 1986, Komárek 1992, Komárek & Anagnostidis 1998
  2.2 cytomorphology:
  2.3 16S rRNA sequencing:
  2.4 biology and life cycles:
  2.5 ecology: