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DISTRIBUTION OF THE XANTHOPHYLL LOROXANTHIN IN DESMIDS (CHAROPHYCEAE, CHLOROPHYTA) 1
Author(s) -
Donohue Christine M.,
Fawley Maroin W.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
journal of phycology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.85
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1529-8817
pISSN - 0022-3646
DOI - 10.1111/j.0022-3646.1995.00294.x
Subject(s) - biology , disjunct , chlorophyta , botany , disjunct distribution , xanthophyll , parallel evolution , evolutionary biology , phylogenetics , zoology , algae , phylogenetic tree , photosynthesis , population , biochemistry , demography , sociology , gene
ABSTRACT Forty‐seven species of desmids, representing all four families, were examined for the presence of the xanthophyll loroxanthin by reverse‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography. In the Desmidiaceae 28 of the 35 species examined possessed loroxanthin, and in the Mesotaeniaceae two of the six examined had loroxanthin present. All six species of the families Peniaceae and Closteriaceae examined possessed loroxanthin. Although the distribution of loroxanthin appears to be disjunct in the desmids and does not have strict taxonomic significance, it does follow a coherent pattern consistent with current ideas on desmid phylogeny. This pattern suggests that loroxanthin synthesis probably evolved once in the desmid lineage, with one or more subsequent reversals .