Spirotaenia closteridia (Kützing) Rabenhorst 1868: 146

Ramos, Geraldo José Peixoto, Bicudo, Carlos Eduardo De Mattos & Moura, Carlos Wallace Do Nascimento, 2017, Taxonomic notes on Spirotaenia (Mesotaeniaceae, Zygnematophyceae) from a Brazilian phytotelm habitat: new species and new records, Phytotaxa 309 (3), pp. 265-270 : 266-267

Spirotaenia closteridia (Kützing) Rabenhorst 1868: 146 ( Figs. 3–10 ).

Basionym: Endospira closteridia Brébisson in Kützing 1847: 24, pl. 36: 2 (original diagnosis).

Cells 6–8.2 times longer than broad, curved cylinders slightly narrowing toward the rounded poles, chloroplast a parietal ribbon making 1.5–3.5 turns. Conjugation not observed. Cell dimensions: length 15–33 μm, breadth 2.5–4 μm.

Specimens examined:— BRAZIL. Bahia: Santa Teresinha, Serra da Jiboia. 18-VII-2015. G.J.P. Ramos, C.W.N. Moura & D.D.S. Reis s.n (HUEFS 155347, HUEFS 155348).

Habitat:— bromeliad tanks ( Alcantarea nahoumii ); water temperature 22–27º C. pH 5.2–6.1. electric conductivity 0.09–0.12 mS. cm-1. total dissolved solids 0.05–0.06 ppt. dissolved oxygen 6.9–9.4 mg.L- 1.

Comments:— Morphologically, Spirotaenia closteridia resembles S. endospira W.Archer ( Figs. 11–18 ), though the latter species is different by having wider oblong-cylindrical cells. Sometimes it is difficult to separate these species, especially when S. closteridia cells do not show a very remarkable curvature and have a chloroplast with 1.5–2.5 turns, thus requiring a population analysis to check other features such as poles and cell dimensions.

So far, records of Spirotaenia closteridia were confined to the Northern Hemisphere: Austria ( Lenzenweger 2003), France ( Kouwets 1999), Ukraine ( Palamar-Mordvintseva & Petlovany 2009) and United States of America ( Prescott et al. 1972). This is the first time that the species is reported for the Southern Hemisphere and for a phytotelm habitat.

Figures

FIGURES 3–25. Spirotenia species occurring in Brazil. 3–10. Spirotaenia closteridia. 11–18. Spirotaenia endospira 19–24. Spirotaenia filiformis sp. nov. 25. Spirotaenia condensata. Scale Bars: 10 μm.