Spirotaenia minuta Thuret (1856: 157)

Ramos, Geraldo José Peixoto, Souza, Bruna Fadul De, Ribeiro, Sylvia Maria Moreira Susini & Moura, Carlos Wallace Do Nascimento, 2023, New insights into the diversity and distribution of the genus Spirotaenia (Mesotaeniaceae, Streptophyta) in the Neotropics, including the description of S. tetrahelica sp. nov., Phytotaxa 613 (1), pp. 29-38 : 34

Spirotaenia minuta Thuret (1856: 157) ( Fig. 17 )

Cells 5 times longer than wide, fusiform with narrowly apices, chloroplast ribbon-shaped, parietal, constituted by a single loosely twisted helical ribbon. Cell length 32–33 μm, breadth 6 μm.

Geographic distribution: Europe: Austria, France, Germany, Ireland, Latvia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russian Federation, Spain, Ukraine, United Kingdom; North America: USA; Africa: South Africa ( Cholnoky 1955), Asia: South Korea; Oceania: Australia and New Zealand ( Guiry & Guiry 2023); South America: Argentina (Guarrera & Kuhnemann 1949, Tell 1985), Bolivia ( Borge 1906).

Ecology: Occurs in both hard- and soft-water situations ( Prescott et al. 1972).

Note: Spirotaenia minuta has been reported in Bolivia ( Borge 1906), but the taxonomic information is limited to cell dimensions (32–33 µm in length, 6 µm in width, Borge 1906). Tell (1985) referenced Guarrera & Kuhnemann (1949) for Tierra del Fuego ( Argentina), but did not provide detailed information. Therefore, further studies are recommended to confirm the occurrence of this species in the Neotropics.

Figures

FIGURES 11–18. Spirotaenia species reported for the Neotropics: 11. Spirotaenia tetrahelica sp nov; 12. S. beijerinckii; 13. S. erythrocephala; 14. S. condensata; 15. S. endospira; 16. S. closteridia; 17. S. minuta; 18. S. filiformis.