Anabaena sp. A

Mcgregor, Glenn B., 2018, Freshwater Cyanobacteria of North-Eastern Australia: 3. Nostocales, Phytotaxa 359 (1), pp. 448-450 : 448-450

Anabaena sp. A Fig. 41 A–E.

Filaments single, dispersed among submerged aquatic plants and other algae. Trichomes straight or slightly flexuous, not attenuated towards the ends, constricted at the cross walls. Vegetative cells barrel-shaped to cylindrical, up to 2 × longer than wide, 5.1–10.0 μm long × 4.8–6.5 μm broad, olive-green in colour, often distinctly vacuolate; apical cells bluntly rounded. Heterocytes intercalary, single or rarely in pairs, cylindrical, up to 2.5 × longer than wide, 10.0–14.5 μm long × 5.4–8.0 μm wide.Akinetes solitary, intercalary, always remote from the heterocytes, cylindrical with bluntly rounded ends, 15.5–17.0 μm long × 5.0–6.5 wide, endospore pale yellow-green in colour.

Specimens examined:—Rainbow Beach Fens at Great Sandy Natl Park, Cooloola Section, L. Jennings at Great Sandy Natl Park, Fraser Is. Section.

Observations:—Growing amongst other algae and aquatic plants, in shallow, acidic, coastal wetlands and in the littoral area of perched lakes. Compare with A. saaremaaensis Skuja , also known from swamps, peaty pools and marshes with emergent aquatic plants. This species, originally described from Estonia, lacks vacuolated cells, and usually forms expanded mucilaginous mats rather than being found as single filaments.

Other species known from Australia: A. subcylindrica, Stony Ck, Blackdown Tableland , Queensland, A.B. Cribb, 1974 (BRI 0700211), A. oryzae, Corowa-Mulwala Rd, W of Corowa, New South Wales, S. Skinner, 2001 (NSW 910253).

AULOSIRA