Johansenicoccus eremophilus Fucikova & Pietrasiak, 2023

Fucikova, Karolina, Taylor, Melissa, Lewis, Louise A., Niece, Brian K., Isaac, Aleeza S. & Pietrasiak, Nicole, 2023, Johansenicoccus eremophilus gen. et sp. nov., a novel evolutionary lineage in Chlorophyceae with unusual genomic features, Plant Ecology and Evolution 156 (3), pp. 311-325 : 311

Johansenicoccus eremophilus Fucikova & Pietrasiak sp. nov.

Fig. 1

Type.

USA - California • Joshua Tree National Park ; 33°45 ’47” N, 115°47 ’46” W; 13 Jun. 2006; holotype: fixed algae on microscope slide, CONN [CONN00234349]; authentic culture: UTEX B 3223 .

Description.

Cells solitary, spherical or rarely oval or irregular, 4-12 μm in diameter. Chloroplasts parietal without pyrenoids. In young cells, chloroplast single and cup-shaped or lobed, nucleus single. Multiple chloroplasts and nuclei in mature cells. Older cells contain darkly reddish-brown cytoplasmic granules outside the plastids. Cell wall thin and smooth, not thickening appreciably with age. Reproduction via four or more autospores; zoospore production uncertain. In culture, the cells form elevated colonies with lighter, well-defined margins, which grow and merge into a firm, glossy lawn. Senescent cultures accumulate orange pigments, turning from green to olive and eventually to deep orange in colour.

Distribution.

So far only known from the type locality, Joshua Tree National Park, USA.

Habitat and ecology.

Biological soil crust, desert.

Etymology.

The name reflects the desert-dwelling nature of the species, as erêmos means desert in ancient Greek and phílos means loving.

Registration.

http://phycobank.org/103940

Figures

Figure 1. Light micrographs capturing the morphology of Johansenicoccus eremophilus gen. et sp. nov. A, B. Young and mature vegetative cells. C. Vegetative cells and autospore formation. D. Mature vegetative cells with clear multiple chloroplasts and extra-plastidic inclusions. E. Detail of vegetative cell; arrows point to unidentified extra-plastidic inclusions. F, G. Irregularly shaped cells, possibly in the process of spore production. Scale bars represent 10 µm, second scale bar pertains to E-G.