Ekerewekia Kaštovský, Fučíková, Štenclová & Brewer-Carías, 2016

Kaštovský, Jan, Veselá, Jana, Bohunická, Markéta, Fučíková, Karolina, Štenclová, Lenka & Brewer-Carías, Charles, 2016, New and unusual species of cyanobacteria, diatoms and green algae, with a description of a new genus Ekerewekia gen. nov. (Chlorophyta) from the table mountain Churí-tepui, Chimantá Massif (Venezuela), Phytotaxa 247 (3), pp. 153-180 : 171

Ekerewekia Kaštovský, Fučíková, Štenclová & Brewer-Carías , gen. nov. ( Figs 13 , 14 )

Filamentous green alga with long truly branched filaments ( Figs 13A, B, J, K ). The type of branching resembles the branching of Cladophora Kützing (1843: 262) ( Figs 13H, I ). Cells of lateral branches are the same width as the main filament. Rounded apical cells do not differ morphologically from other vegetative cells. When the filament breaks, the colorless, firm, H-shaped cell wall reminiscent of Microspora Thuret (1850: 221) ( Figs 13E–G ) is visible. One to two (two to four in dividing cells) large rounded to oval chloroplasts each with a distinct pyrenoid fill nearly the entire cell ( Figs 13C, D ). Growth is both apical and diffuse, occurring throughout the filament. Branching starts by lateral bulging of the cell wall close to the cell’s apex ( Figs 13H, I ). Only asexual reproduction by fragmentation of the filament was observed, especially at the ends of the filaments.

Type species:— Ekerewekia churiensis Kaštovský, Fučíková, Štenclová & Brewer-Carías , sp. nov. (see below)

Etymology:— “Ekerewek” means “alga” (= any small slimy organism in the water) in the laguage of the Pemon tribe, who inhabit the Guyana Highland.

Figures

FIGURE 13. Ekerewekia churiensis, sp. nov., microphotograph. A, B, J, K. General view, branching. C, D. Chloroplast shape. E, F, G. Micropsora-like cell walls at the end of filament. H, I. Beginning of branching. Scale bars = 10 μm.

FIGURE 14. Ekerewekia churiensis, sp. nov. A. macrophotograph. B. Type locality, Bathroom Creek, dominant part of the green biomass is E. churiensis, in the background Ch. Brewer-Carías. C. Line drawing of a general pattern of the thallus, scale bar = 200 μm. D. Line drawing of branching and chloroplast shape, scale bar = 10 μm.