Algal List
Monday 11/15 and Wednesday 11/17/99

NOTE SPECIES ON THIS PAGE MAY DIFFER FROM THOSE IN LAB.  USE LAB SPECIMENS ONLY FOR DRAWINGS
 

Phylum Chrysophyta - The Golden Browns, Yellow-Greens, Diatoms
Subphylum Bacillariophyceae (Diatomaceae)
Order Pennales
Family Fragilariaceae
Diatoma sp. - bilaterally symmetric, shaped like a cigar or lanced shaped, has a pseudoraphe (clear line down the middle where ornamentation is absent).

Picture Source: Bowling Green State University
Center for Algal Microscopy and Image Digitization



Subphylum Xanthophyceae -
Order Mischococcales
Family Sciadaceae
Ophiocytium sp. - tube-shaped cells that have thin, stalk-like appendages, may use these appendages to attach to the substrate but may also be free-floating, may have balloon shaped cells at the base.

Picture Source: Ohio University Algal Home Page; Dr. Morgan Vis


Phylum (Division) Cyanophyta; Blue-greens
Order Nostocales - filaments with heterocysts
Family Rivulariaceae
Calothrix sp. - filamentous blue-green, heterocysts (nitrogen fixing cells) are on the ends (terminal), trichomes often taper at the ends, may be an epiphyte.

Tapering Calothrix growing epiphytically on another organism
Picture Source: Cyanosite Cyanobacterial Image Gallery Freeware Purdue University

Picture Source: Cyanosite Cyanobacterial Image Gallery Freeware Purdue University


Order Nostocales  - filaments with heterocysts
Family Nostocaceae (unbranched filaments)
Cylindrospermum sp. - heterocysts and akinetes terminal and at only one end, trichomes do not taper and may form parallel lines, mucilage is soft and not always visible.

Larger cells are akinetes, smaller end cells are heterocysts
Picture Source: Cyanosite Cyanobacterial Image Gallery Freeware Purdue University

Terminal heterocysts present only
Picture Source: Cyanosite Cyanobacterial Image 
Gallery Freeware Purdue University


Order Chroococcales -solitary cells, aggregations and colonies
Family Chroococcaceae
Gloeocapsa sp. - cells are aggregated and covered by multi-layered mucilage, a palmelloid formation (non-flagellated cells in a common mucilage)

Picture Source: Ohio University Algal Home Page; Dr. Morgan Vis


Order Chroococcales -solitary cells, aggregations and colonies
Family Chroococcaceae
Microcystis sp. - spherical shaped cells in a mucilaginoussheath, can be hundreds of cells in one sheath, have gas vesicles for buoyancy that make it often appear blackish blue, commonly associated with algal blooms and fish kills, produce toxins affecting mammals, fish, and birds.

Microcystis sp. colony
Picture Source: Cyanosite Cyanobacterial Image 
Gallery Freeware Purdue University

Microcystis sp. bloom in freshwater lake
Picture Source: Cyanosite Cyanobacterial Image 
Gallery Freeware Purdue University


Order Oscillatoriales - filamentous without heterocysts
Family Oscillatoriaceae
Phormidum sp. - no heterocysts, trichomes have a thin, gummy sheath that often extends past the trichome,  symbiotic with sponges, also found in mats under ice in Antarctic Lakes

Picture Source: Ohio University Algal Home Page; Dr. Morgan Vis


Order Oscillatoriales
Family Stigonemataceae
Stigonema (Fischerella) sp. - no heterocysts, trichomes have a thick, mucilagenous, sheath (shown in figure below), has true branching (see below).  Compare to false branching of Scytonema sp.

Picture Source: Botany 331 Home Page:Dr. Sam Rushforth / Dr.Jack Donaldson
Brigham Young University


Phylum Chlorophyta - The Greens
Subphylum Chlorophyceae
Order Ulotrichales - unbranced, filamentous algae
Family Microsporaceae
Microspora sp. - unbranched filaments, cells have overlapping H-shaped wall pieces, make akinetes.
Image server down will post picture ASAP


Subphylum Chlorophyceae
Order Ulotrichales - unbranced, filamentous algae
Family Ulotrichaceae
Ulothrix sp. - unbranched filaments, chloroplasts are C-shaped, reproduces by vegetative reproduction, zoospores, and isogamy.

Picture Source: Ohio University Algal Home Page; Dr. Morgan Vis


Order Chaetophorales
Family Chaetopharaceae
Stigeoclonium sp. - has heterotrichy, but basal cells (that attach to the substrate) are not obviously different, increases branched under low nutrien conditons, reproduction by flagellated zoospores (4 flagella per zoospore)

Picture Source: Ohio University Algal Home Page; Dr. Morgan Vis

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