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

TY - JOUR

T1 - 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

AU - Nielsen, Ruth

AU - Petersen, Gitte

AU - Seberg, Ole

AU - Daugbjerg, Niels

AU - O'Kelly, Charles J.

AU - Wysor, Brian

PY - 2013/1/4

Y1 - 2013/1/4

N2 - 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).

AB - 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).

U2 - 10.2216/11-067.1

DO - 10.2216/11-067.1

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0031-8884

VL - 52

SP - 37

EP - 56

JO - Phycologia

JF - Phycologia

IS - 1

ER -