Phacomyxa sphagnophila Skuja 1956

Most likely ID: n.a.

 

Synonym: n.a.

 

Sampling location: Simmelried

 

Phylogenetic tree: Phacomyxa sphagnophila

 

Diagnosis: 

  • colonies spherical to irregularls shaped plates
  • colonies of 4–16 cells, rarely more,
  • cells embedded in mucilaginous envelope
  • cells globular, lenticular, ovoid or angular (after cell division)
  • diameter 6–10 µm (of cells)
  • 3-8 parietal chloroplasts
  • pyrenoid abesent
  • nucleus central
  • cell wall smooth
  • reproduction mainly by binary cell division
Phacomyxa-sphagnophila
Phacomyxa sphagnophila

So far I have only found Phacomyxa sphagnophila in the Simmelried. This alga appeared there for the first time in 2023. Before that I have no evidence.

 

Phacomyxa sphagnophila was first described by Skuja (1956). The following authors Komárek & Fott (1983) and F. Hindák & A. Hindáková (2008) incorrectly adopted the name as Phacomyxa sphagnicola.

 

It was assumed by F. Hindák & A. Hindáková (2008) that Phacomyxa sphagnophila is synonymous with the species Dispora speciosa and Dispora crucigenoides. The species are indeed very similar, but it seems that this assumption has been confirmed by F. Hindák & A. Hindáková has not been officially recognized.

 

Young colonies are usually flat and plate-shaped. Binary cell divisions are often found in them. The daughter cells are often angular in shape, sometimes almost triangular, which is very typical for Phacomyxa sphagnophila (s. figs. 1 and 2). Older cells are mostly globular (s. figs. 3 and 5). In my population the older cells had a diameter of 7–9 µm, which fits very well with the description by F. Hindák & A. Hindáková. The cells were described by Skuja (1956) as being somewhat larger with a diameter of 9–15 µm.

Phacomyxa-sphagnophila

Fig. 1: Phacomyxa sphagnophila. A plate-shaped colony of 8 cells during binary cell division. Note the angular shape of the daughter cells. Obj. 60 X.

Phacomyxa-sphagnophila

Fig. 2: Phacomyxa sphagnophila. D = 7–8 µm (of cells). A second plate-shaped colony of 8 cells during binary cell division. Obj. 60 X.

Phacomyxa-sphagnophila

Fig. 3: Phacomyxa sphagnophila. D = 7–9 µm (of cells). A squashed colony with globular cells and cells during cells division. Obj. 100 X.

Phacomyxa-sphagnophila

Fig. 4: Phacomyxa sphagnophila. D = 7–9 µm (of cells). A second squashed colony with ovoid cells and cells during cells division. Obj. 100 X.

Phacomyxa-sphagnophila

Fig. 5 a-b: Phacomyxa sphagnophila. D = 7–8 µm (of cells). Two focal planes of 6 cells. Note the central nucleus (Nu). Obj. 100 X.