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Reassessment of the cyanobacterial family M icrochaetaceae and establishment of new families T olypothrichaceae and G odleyaceae
Author(s) -
Hauer Tomáš,
Bohunická Markéta,
Johansen Jeffrey R.,
Mareš Jan,
BerrenderoGomez Esther
Publication year - 2014
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/jpy.12241
Subject(s) - biology , phylogenetic tree , 16s ribosomal rna , genus , phylogenetics , zoology , evolutionary biology , botany , gene , genetics
The family M icrochaetaceae is a large group of heterocytous cyanobacteria, whose members bear typical morphological features of uniseriate heteropolar filaments never terminated by thin hairs and with simple false branching. However, phylogenetic analyses of the gene for 16S rRNA showed that members of this traditionally morphologically delimited family form several distant groups and therefore the current concept is hereafter indefensible. In this study, we provide reassessment of the status of the family M icrochaetaceae based on morphology, ecology, biogeography, and phylogeny of 16S rRNA gene. Thorough examination of strains of the nominate genus M icrochaete revealed their affiliation to two groups, N ostocaceae and R ivulariaceae, and their distant position to other traditional members of M icrochaetaceae such as T olypothrix , H assallia , and C oleodesmium . To reflect the phylogenetic relationships and to accommodate members of the traditional family M icrochaetaceae that are clearly not related to any of the M icrochaete representatives, we propose establishment of two new families, T olypothrichaceae and G odleyaceae. Based on both molecular and morphological evidence, we also provide a description of three new species of the genus F ortiea .