Revision of the genus Ulvella (Ulvellaceae, Ulvophyceae) based on morphology and tufA gene sequences of species in culture, with Acrochaete and Pringsheimiella placed in synonymy

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Phycologia

Publication Date

1-1-2013

Abstract

Microfilamentous green algae in the Ulvellaceae are notoriously difficult to identify and classify. We revised Ulvella based on the morphology of 46 unialgal culture isolates, including several from type localities, and we were guided by a phylogenetic reconstruction based on chloroplast-encoded tufA gene sequences. Species previously referred to Acrochaete, including the type species A. repens, formed a clade that included Pringsheimiella scutata and Ulvella lens, the type species of their respective genera. These species were placed in a single genus, and Ulvella had priority. The circumscription of the genus was emended to include microscopic species with branched filaments that may or may not form mono- and polystromatic disc-shaped thalli. Ten new species were described (viz. U. aequicrassa, U. dasycala, U. gigas, U. glabra, U. globocaespitosa, U. inopinata, U. pachypes, U. pseudorepens, U. vacuospora, and U. waernii), and two were resurrected (U. parasitica, previously considered a synonym of A. repens, and U. porphyrae, previously synonymised with A. viridis). Ectochaete polymorpha was placed in synonymy with U. leptochaete and Acrochaete parasitica f. zosterae with Ochlochaete hystrix. Ten new combinations were proposed for species previously referred to Acrochaete (viz. U. cingens, U. codicola, U. geniculata, U. inflata, and U. taylori) or Pringsheimiella (viz. U. gratulans, U. mauritiana, U. sanctae-luciae, U. striata, and U. udoteae).

Volume

52

Issue

1

First Page

37

Last Page

56

DOI

10.2216/11-067.1

ISSN

00318884

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