of Prochlorococcus marinus
N. JEEJI BAI
Parry Agro Industries Ltd. (R&D), Tiam House Annexe, 2 Jehangir Street, Chennai, 600001, India (PAGROMAA.COMM @MGGP.sprintrpg.ems.vsnl.net.in)
INTRODUCTION
The genus Arthrospira has been shown to be quite distinct from Spirulina through ultrastructural and biochernical studies. At the subgeneric level, how-ever, only two species,A.platensisandA. maxima are mentioned in recent lit-erature on ftoristic and mass culture studies as also in the latest edition of Bergey's rnanual (Castenholz, 1989). In order to verify this, Desikachary and Jeeji Bai (1992, 1996) studied a large nurnber of strains and natural samples from different sources and allocated them to four species:
A. indicaDesik. et Jeeji Bai (1992); identical with A. fusiformis (Woron.) Korn. et Lund except for the presence of a conical calyptra.
A. maximaSetch. et Gard. in Gardner (1917); the apical thickening of end cell mentioned in the original diagnosis represents the first stage of calyptra formation.
A. massartiiKuff. var. indica Desik. (1959); the variety has a convex disc-like calyptra on non-attenuate end cell.
A. platensis(Nordst.) Gorn. (1892); the end cell shows different degrees of capitate condition.
In this study, they also evolved certain new and more reliable criteria to distinguish the taxa of Arthrospira.
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TAXINOMY AND PHYLOGENY
TAXONOMIC CRITERIA EMPLOYED IN THE STUDY 1. Coiling Pattern - degree of narrowing of end coils as compared to the
median ones; the resulting overall morphology of the trichomes - whether fusiform to dumb-bell shaped or cylindrical.
2. Degree of trichome attenuation towards the ends - whether graduaI or abrupt, whether slightly or distinctly so.
3. Constriction at cross walls - whether slight or distinct.
4. The average width of trichomes.
5. The shape of cells - whether long-cylindrical, as long as to slightly longer than broad or discoid.
6. End œIl morphology - whether simple and rounded, slightly or distinctly capitate, calyptrate or both capitate and calyptrate.
7. Shape of calyptra - whether acutely or obtusely conical or convex.
8. Habit - whether planktic or benthic, with or without gas vesicles.
9. Habitat - whether fresh water, brackish water or marine.
Based on these criteria, the existing taxa of Arth rospira have been analysed and revised. Sorne accepted revisions proposed by others have also been included.
TAXA OFARTHROSPlRA RECOGNISED AND THEIR SYNONYMS A. jenneri(Hass.) Stiz. Type species.
Synonyms:
A. balkrishnanii Kamat (1963, Drouet, 1968); differs from the type only in the somewhat narrower trichomes and lax and wavy coils.
A. spirulinoides (Ghose 1923, proposed by Drouet, 1968); described as coils touching each other. In a strain of A. jenneri, UTEX 2179, this condition occurs regularly.
A. joshii(Vasishta 1963, proposed by Drouet, 1968).
J.jennerif. tenuis (Singh) comb. nov.
Synonym:
A. spirulinoides
f
tenuisSingh (Desikachary, 1959 p. 189); This is a narrower form of A. spirulinoides.A. jenneri
f
purpurea Collins (1909, Drouet, 1968); herbarium specimen examined.A. tenuisBruhl et Biswas (Desikachary, 1959 p. 191).
Synonym:
A. desikacharyensis(Vasishta 1962, excluded by Drouet, 1968).
A. khannae Drouet et Strickl. (Desikachary, 1959 p. 189); herbarium speci-men examined.
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ATAXONOMIe REVISION OF THE GENUS ARTHROSPIRA
Synonym:
A gomontiana var. crassa (Gupta) Desik. (Desikachary, 1959, p. 192);
this variety shows dimensions which are very different from those of A gomontiana and faH within the range of those ofA.khannae.
A gomontiana Setch. (Desikachary, 1959 p. 192, not reported from India);
herbarium specimen examined.
A miniata (Hauck) Gom. (Geitler, 1932, p. 924, not reported from India).
A miniata var. constricta Hoffmann (1991).
A funiformis Vauk, 1915 (Kornarek, 1956; not reported from India).
Synonym(proposed by Komarek, 1956):
A.breviarticulata Setch. et Gard. (1918)
A massartii Kuff. (Desikachary, 1959, p. 191, not reported from India).
A massartii var. indica Desik. (Desikachary, 1959, p. 191).
Synonyms(proposed by Desikachary& Jeeji Bai, 1996).
A.platensis sensu Sarrna& Kanta (1978).
A platensis var. non-constricta (Banerji) Desik. sensu Sanna& Kanta (1978).
A platensis sensu Deore (1992).
A platensis var. tenuis (Rao, C.B.) Desik. (proposed now).
A maxima Setch. et Gard. in Gardner (1917, Geitler, 1932, p. 924).
Synonym(proposed by Desikachary& Jeeji Bai, 1996).
Spirulina gigantea sensu Deore (1992).
A indica Desik. et Jeeji Bai (1992).
Synonyms(proposed by Desikachary& Jeeji Bai, 1992):
S. fusiformis Woronichin sensu Jeeji Bai & Seshadri (1980), non Woronichin ex Elenkin (1949).
A platensis f.granulata Desik. (Desikachary, 1959, p. 190).
A maxima sensu TornaseHi et al. (1993).
A platensis sensu Rich (1931).
A platensis (Nordst.) Gorn. (Desikachary, 1959, p. 190).
A platensis var. californica Gardner; herbarium specimen examined.
Afusiformis (Woron.) Korn. et Lund (1990).
Synonym:
Spirulina fusiformis Woronichin ex Elenkin (1949).
A okensis Meyer has been transferred to Romeria as R. okensis (Meyer) Hindak (1988).
A curta Lemm. has been transferred to Borzia asB. curta (Lemm.) Anag. et Kom. (1988).
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TAXINOMY AND PHYLOGENY
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DEORE L.T., 1992. - On the occurrence ofSpirulina Turp. em. Gardner (Family Oscilloriaceae) from Dhule, north Maharashtra. - In: Seshadri C.v., Jeeji Bai N.
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HOFFMANN L., 1991. - Marine Cyanophyceae of Papua New Guinea1.The genera ArthrospiraandSpirulina. - Nova Hedwigia,52, 141-148.
Jeeji Bai N., Seshadri C.v., 1980. - On coiling and uncoiling of trichomes in the genusSpirulina. -Algolog. Studies,20,32-47.
KOMÀREK 1., 1956. - "Sorne interesting blue-green algae from Bulgarian coast of Black sea near Burgas" (Russian). - Univ. Carol. Biol.,2 (1), 91-123.
KOMÀREK 1., LUND J.W.G., 1990. - What is "Spirulina platensis"in fact? -Algo-log. Studies,58, 1-13.
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TOMASELLI L., PALANDRI M.R., TAN! G., 1993. - Advances in preparative tech-niques for observation of fine structure ofArthrospira maximaSetch. et Gardner (Syn.Spirulina maximaGeitler).-Algolog. Studies,71, 43-55.
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