Nephrococcus, Y.-Y.Li, 1984

Popović, Slađana, Simić, Gordana Subakov, Korać, Aleksandra, Golić, Igor & Komárek, Jiří, 2016, Nephrococcus serbicus, a new coccoid cyanobacterial species from Božana Cave, Serbia, Phytotaxa 289 (2), pp. 135-146 : 137-138

Nephrococcus Y.-Y. Li (1984: 191)

The main characteristics of the genus Nephrococcus are a spherical multicellular thallus with a mucilaginous colony envelope that has a firm surface. The cells are usually kidney-shaped and placed in the centre of the thallus, less frequently (in advanced stages) forming wreath-like formations within the colony. The cells are divided by transverse division ( Li 1984; Komárek & Anagnostidis 1998). The spherical colonies usually grow in agglomerations on wet subaerophytic substrates (the bark of trees or rocks).

Nephrococcus confertus Y.-Y. Li (1984: 191; pl. 1, fig. 1). Type:— CHINA. The upper river Xin-pen, from the bark of trees, 1140 m, 28 May 1981, Wang Shi & Zhixtin Hanquing, HP7372 (Type, HBI)

The thallus is more or less spherical, initially unicellular, later usually with 2 or 4 cells and rarely consisting of up to 64 cells. The mucilaginous envelope of the colony is slightly lamellated (most obvious in the external part of the colony), 10–14 μm wide, with a firm surface, hyaline or slightly yellowish. Cells in developed colonies are kidney-shaped, 12–15 μm long, 7.5–10 μm wide in the middle part, with a homogeneous or slightly granular content, colourless or pale yellowish, with cell envelopes more or less lamellated and darker in the outside parts.

Distribution and habitat:— China, the upper river Xin-pen, 1140 m, taken from the bark of trees, growing among other algae.

Nephrococcus shilinensis Y.-P. Tian (2001: 280–281; fig.1: 1–4). Type:— CHINA. Yunnan, Shilin, Daxiaoshilin, Wannianlingzhi , Jianfengchi , on the surface of carbonate rock, 16˚C, 1790 m, 13 November 1999, Y.P.Tian, SL-99040 (Herbarium of the Department of Urban and Resource Science, Nanjing University)

The thallus is aerophytic, with single or 2–4 cells forming small colonies, growing sometimes in bigger colonies. The colony envelopes are thin, 2–4 μm thick, lamellated, with a firm surface, more lamellated in the external than in the internal part, colourless or pale yellowish. The cells are kidney-shaped, 13–15 μm long and 6.5–9 μm wide in the middle part. The cell envelopes are almost indistinct at the beginning, later becoming visible. The cell content is homogeneous to slightly granular and olive-green.

Distribution and habitat:— China, Yunnan, Shilin, Daxiaoshilin, Wannianlingzhi, Jianfengchi, on the surface of carbonate rock, 16°C, 1790 m.

Nephrococcus sp. Watanabe & Komárek (1988). Type:— NEPAL. Kathmandu Valley, wet calcareous rocks at 1300– 2000 m, 9 October 1986, M. Watanabe, T. Nakaike, 53388 and 53389 (Herbarium Nat. Science Museum, Tsukuba Botanical Gardner)

The thallus is rounded, 20–70 μm wide, containing 4–32 (64?) cells with a common sheath. The common sheaths are yellow-brown, sometimes membranous at the periphery; cells are spherical, oblong, polygonal, 5–8 μm wide and up to 10 μm long, olive-green, with or without individual sheaths, which are sometimes lamellated. Dormant stages with a papillose surface.

Distribution and habitat:— Nepal, recorded from moist calcareous rocks in the Kathmandu Valley.