Home / Chlorophyceae / Filamentous / Branched / Pithophora
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Name derivation:
Barrel-bearer, referring to inflated akinetes.
Classification:
Pithophora Wittrock 1877; only 1 (P. roettleri (Roth) Wittrock of 23 species descriptions is currently accepted taxonomically (Guiry and Guiry 2014).
Morphology:
Green mat-forming filaments with cylindrical cells and darker, enlarged akinetes both intercalary and terminal. Many nuclei per cell; reticulate chloroplasts. Cell walls contain both cellulose and chitin. More detail online.
Similar genera:
None.
Habitat:
Freshwater littoral habitats. Temperate and tropical global distribution.
Citing Phycokey:
Baker, A.L. et al. . Phycokey -- an image based key to Algae (PS Protista), Cyanobacteria, and other aquatic objects. University of New Hampshire Center for Freshwater Biology. http://cfb.unh.edu/phycokey/phycokey.htm
References:
Guiry, M.D. and G.M. Guiry 2014. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. http://www.algaebase.org; searched on 30 May 2014. Wittrock, V.B. 1877. On the development and systematic arrangement of the Pithophoraceae, a new order of algae. Nova Acta Regiae Societatis Scientiarum Upsaliensis Ser. 3, extra ordinem(Editum 1877, Art 19): 1-80, VI plates.