Dimorphococcus
Template:Short description Template:Automatic taxobox
Dimorphococcus is a genus of fresh water green algae in the family Scenedesmaceae.[1] It is found as a component of the phytoplankton of freshwater ponds, lakes, and peat bogs. It is widespread, but usually not very common.[2]
Dimorphococcus is usually found in small colonies of multiples of four cells, surrounded by a gelatinous mass. Groups of four cells are further attached to each other via mucilaginous strands, which are the remnants of the mother cell wall.[3] Cells are kidney-shaped to heart-shaped, 10–25 μm long and 3–8(–15) μm wide. Each cell is uninucleate (containing one nucleus) and has one parietal chloroplast each with one or more pyrenoids.[2]
Dimorphococcus reproduces asexually via autospores, with four spores produced per mother cell. Autospores are released through a lateral tear in the mother cell wall. After release, the empty cell wall gradually dissolves.[2]
Taxonomy
Currently, Dimorphococcus is placed in the family Scenedesmaceae, according to molecular phylogenetic analyses.[4]
One species, Dimorphococcus fritschii, is of uncertain status. The phycologist Chin Chih Jao considered it to have a different structure than other species of Dimorphococcus; accordingly, he placed it into a new genus, Dimorphococcopsis. The species has not been re-investigated and it is possible that the original placement was correct.[5]
References
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- ↑ See the NCBI webpage on Dimorphococcus. Data extracted from the Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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