Nephrocytium

Nephrocytium
Nephrocytium agardhianum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Supergroup: Archaeplastida
Clade: Viridiplantae
Division: Chlorophyta
Class: Chlorophyceae
Order: Sphaeropleales
Family: Nephrocytiaceae
T.S.Garcia, Bagatini & Štenclová
Genus: Nephrocytium
Nägeli, 1849
Type species
Nephrocytium agardhianum
Nägeli, 1849
Species

Nephrocytium is a genus of green algae in the class Chlorophyceae. Formerly placed in the family Oocystaceae, it is currently placed in its own family, Nephrocytiaceae.

The name Nephrocytium is derived from the Ancient Greek νεφρός (nephrós, "kidney") and κύτος (kytos, "vessel").

Description

Nephrocytium consists of colonies of 4, 8, or 16 asymmetrical cells surrounded by a spherical to ovoid layer of mucilage, which is formed when the mother cell wall expands and gelatinizes. Individual cells are kidney-shaped to ovoid, containing one chloroplast lining the inside of the cell membrane, each with one pyrenoid.

Reproduction occurs asexually. It exclusively forms autospores, and does not appear to have a flagellated stage in its life cycle.

Identification

Similar genera include Nephrochlamys and Juranyiella; Nephrochlamys differs in having cells that lack pyrenoids, while Juranyiella has granules dotted on the cell wall surface.

Species are distinguished mainly by the shape of the cells (particularly at their apices), cell sizes, and length-to-width ratios. However, cells enlarge during their life cycle, which must be taken into account while identifying Nephrocytium species.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Silva, Thaís Garcia; Štenclová, Lenka; Archanjo, Naiara Carolina Pereira; Bagatini, Inessa Lacativa (2021). "Revised phylogenetic position of Nephrocytium Nägeli (Sphaeropleales, Chlorophyceae), with the description of Nephrocytiaceae fam. nov. and Nephrocytium vieirae sp. nov". Taxon. 70 (5): 917–930. doi:10.1002/tax.12560. S2CID 239685638.
  2. ↑ Rabenhorst, L. (1853). Kryptogamen-Flora von Sachsen, Ober-Lausitz, Thüringen und Nord-Böhmen, mit Berücksichtigung der benachbarten Länder: erste Abtheilung: Algen im weitesten Sinne, Leber und Laubmoose. Leipzig: Verlag von Eduard Kummer. pp. i–xx, 1–653.
  3. ↑ Shubert, Elliot; Gärtner, Georg (2014). "Chapter 7. Nonmotile Coccoid and Colonial Green Algae". In Wehr, John D.; Sheath, Robert G.; Kociolek, J. Patrick (eds.). Freshwater Algae of North America: Ecology and Classification (2 ed.). Elsevier Inc. ISBN 978-0-12-385876-4.
  4. ↑ G. Dillard (17 Aug 2004). "Nephrocytium Genus detail". AlgaeBase. Retrieved 2007-09-19.