Elliptochloris
Template:Short description Template:Automatic taxobox
Elliptochloris is a genus of green algae in the order Prasiolales.[1] Species of this genus are common and found in a variety of terrestrial habitats such as soils.[2] Some species in the genus are Template:Lichengloss partners in lichens.[3] One species, E. marina, is a symbiont within two species of sea anemone, Anthopleura elegantissima and A. xanthogrammica.[4] It seems to have a worldwide distribution.[5]
Description
Elliptochloris consists of solitary cells which are spherical to ellipsoidal, or cylindrical or slightly curved. Cells contain a single parietal chloroplast which may be band-shaped, trough-shaped, hollow and spherical; the chloroplasts may be lobed or not, and with or without a pyrenoid. Cells contain a single nucleus.[6]
Reproduction occurs by the formation of autospores, which come in two different morphologies: S-type, which are larger, ellipsoidal and formed in groups of 2–4 per sporangium, and E-type, which are smaller, rod-shaped, and formed in groups of 16-32 per sporangium. The formation of two different autospore morphologies is characteristic for Elliptochloris.[6] However, some strains (for example SAG 2200) only produce one type of autospores,[2] and when found as photobionts in lichens, the algae tend to only produce S-type autospores.[5]
Phylogenetics
Elliptochloris forms a monophyletic clade that is sister to Coccomyxa.[2]
References
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