Desmodesmus brasiliensis (Bohlin) Hegewald, 2000
Most likely ID: n.a.
Synonym: Scenedesmus brasiliensis
Sampling location: Lake Constance
Phylogenetic tree: Desmodesmus brasiliensis
Diagnosis:
- coenobia of 2–4–8, linearly arranged cells
- single cells oblong cylindical with rounded ends
- length of cells 9–28 µm, width 3.5–8 µm
- cells narrowly ovoid or cylindrical
- 1–3 short teeth at rounded apices of cells
- longitudinal ridges on sides of each cell
- one pyrenoid per cell
Desmodesmus brasiliensis was originally described by Bohlin (1897) as Scenedesmus brasiliensis, but was transferred to the genus Desmodesmus by Hegewald in 2000.
I have found Desmodesmus brasiliensis in the plankton of Lake Constance in July 1994. Desmodesmus brasiliensis can be recognized by the very small teeth on the apices of the cells in combination with longitudinal ridges at the lateral sides of each cell (s. fig. 1 a-b). In the similar species Desmodesmus serratus the longitudinal ridges are not present. This allows to distinguish these two species.
Fig. 1 a-b: Desmodesmus brasiliensis. L = 19 µm (of coenobium). A coenobium of 4 cells. Note the longitudinal ridges (LR) on the lateral sides of the cells. PY = pyrenoid. Obj. 100 X.