New morphospecies of Chamaesiphon (Cyanobacteria) from Atlantic rainforest, Brazil.

Abstract

Abstract:The Atlantic rainforest is considered one of the most important hotspots of biodiversity on Earth. This great diversity results from the variation of climatic conditions (rainy, warm and cold in high mountains), what generates a unique series of rain forest ecosystems quite distinct from each other. Unfortunately, due to the human impact over the centuries, today there are just fragments of preserved native rainforest. During the investigation about the cyanobacterial flora from the Atlantic rainforest, a special Chamaesiphon morphotype was found on a rock in streaming water. Chamaesiphon stratosus sp. nova is close to C. britannicus (FritSch) KomáreK et anaGn., C. geitleri Luther and C. fuscus (roStaF.) hanSG., and differs from them mainly because of the cells disposition in one layer and exocytes liberation in a sheath at the upper part of cells. These two features belong to different subgenera of Chamaesiphon (Godlewskia and Chamaesiphonopsis). Thus, the Brazilian material displays features of both subgenera and puts in evidence the fragility of these characteristics at subgenus level. Therefore, a discussion about the taxonomy of these subgenera and a proposal for including Chamaesiphonopsis as a synonym of the Godlewskia were done.

Single colony genetic analysis of epilithic stream algae of the genus Chamaesiphon spp.

“…The cyanobacterial morphogenus Chamaesiphon represents one of the most widespread taxa forming thin biofilms in mountain rivers worldwide (e.g., Bürgi et al, 2003; Rott et al, 2006; Rott, 2008; Sant’Anna et al, 2011; Scott & Marcarelli, 2012; Gutowski et al, 2015). Several Chamaesiphon species can cover up to >70% of the wetted perimeter in clear mountain streams (Rott & Wehr, 2016).…”

Epilithic Chamaesiphon (Synechococcales, Cyanobacteria) species in mountain streams of the Alps—interspecific differences in photo-physiological traits

“…Members of the cyanobacterial genus Chamaesiphon (Synechococcales) typically form thin epilithic biofilms on stones and rocks in many mountain rivers all over the world (Rott et al 2006; Rott 2008; Scott and Marcarelli 2012). In addition, Chamaesiphon species have been documented from rocks in streaming water in the Atlantic rainforest, Brazil (Sant’Anna et al 2011), as epiphytes and epilithically growing in a fountain in Central Mexico (Gold-Morgan et al 1996), in freshwaters of tropical North-Eastern Australia (McGregor 2013), and even from maritime Antarctica and Islands of North-Western Weddell Sea (Komárek 2014).…”