Home / Chrysophyceae / Colorless / Bikosoeca
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Name derivation:
Classification:
Order Chromulinales; Family Chromulinaceae. Synonym: Poteriodendron Stein 1878; Bicosoeca James-Clark 1868, considered by Pringsheim (1946) to be better ‘spelt’ Bikosoeca, which Stein did ‘for no apparent reason’.
Morphology:
Unicells and colonies. Each cell forms a goblet-shaped lorica or envelope (Pringsheim 1946), open at the top and pointed at the bottom, that often remain attached to each other. Under low magnification they resemble Dinobryon sertularia. When bacteria as food are plentiful, the loricas are not formed – presumably because of rapid cell division and growth. In the absence of competition for iron, Bikosoeca formed ‘fim envelopes’ (loricas) and large colonies, proof that they are iron-depositing organisms (Ibid.). Stalks aare also formed depending on growth conditions. Swarmers can attach to the surface of water, glass, other envelopes, algae, hay particles, etc. (Ibid.).
Similar genera:
Habitat:
References:
Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 2016. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. http://www.algaebase.org; searched on 2 March 2016. Pringsheim, E.G. 1946. On iron flagellates. Philos. Trans. Roy. Soc. Lond., Ser. B 232: 311-342.