A phylogenetic study on Scenedesmaceae with the description of a new species of Pectinodesmus and the new genera Verrucodesmus and Chodatodesmus (Chlorophyta, Chlorophyceae)

Abstract

A comparative study of the phylogeny of Scenedesmaceae based on rRNA gene sequences (ITS1/5.8S/ITS2), cell morphology and cell wall ultrastructure resulted in the acceptance of the genus Acutodesmus and the description of the new genera Verrucodesmus and Chodatodesmus. A new species Pectinodesmus holtmannii and 11 new combinations were erected: Chodatodesmus mucronulatus, Verrucodesmus verrucosus, V. parvus, Pectinodesmus pectinatus f. tortuosus, Acutodesmus bajacalifornicus, A. bernardii, A. deserticola, A. dissociatus, A. distendus, A. nygaardii, A. obliquus var. dactylococcoides. It was shown that the new genera Verrucodesmus and two of the Chodatodesmus strains have enlarged ITS2 helices (helix I in Verrucodesmus and helix III in Chodatodesmus). The occurrence of zoospores of Scenedesmaceae in nature was discussed. © Czech Phycological Society (2013).