Bracteacoccus Explained

Bracteacoccus is a genus of green algae, the sole genus of the family Bracteacoccaceae. It is a terrestrial alga commonly found in soils, from the tropics to the poles.^[1]

History

Bracteacoccus was described by E. Tereg in 1922, based on the species Bracteacoccus aggregatus.^[1] Later it was synonymized with the genus Dictyococcus, until Richard C. Starr reestablished the genus.

Description

Bracteacoccus consists of solitary, typically spherical cells from 4 to 110 μm in diameter.^[1] Mature cells have multiple nuclei (i.e. are multinucleate). Each cell has multiple chloroplasts lining the outer wall of the cell; each chloroplast is angular in shape and lacks pyrenoids.^[2]

Bracteacoccus reproduces asexually by producing zoospores. The zoospores have two flagella which are slightly unequal in length. Bracteacoccus may also reproduce by producing non-motile aplanospores.^[1]

Morphologically, the genus is essentially indistinguishable from Pseudomuriella and Chromochloris, except for the fact that the latter two genera do not take up fluorescent dyes as easily.^[3] The three genera are phylogenetically distinct.^[1] It is also similar to the genus Dictyococcus, but Dictyococcus has chloroplasts which are inflected inwards.^[4]

Genera

, AlgaeBase accepted the following species:

• Bracteacoccus aerius H.W.Bischoff & Bold
• Bracteacoccus aggregatus Tereg
• Bracteacoccus anomalus (E.J.James) R.C.Starr
• Bracteacoccus bohemiensis Fuciková, Flechtner & L.A.Lewis
• Bracteacoccus bullatus Fuciková, Flechtner & L.A.Lewis
• Bracteacoccus deserticola Fuciková, Flechtner & L.A.Lewis
• Bracteacoccus giganteus H.W.Bischoff & Bold
• Bracteacoccus glacialis Fuciková, Flechtner & L.A.Lewis
• Bracteacoccus grandis H.W.Bischoff & Bold
• Bracteacoccus medionucleatus H.W.Bischoff & Bold
• Bracteacoccus minor (Schmidle ex Chodat) Petrová
• Bracteacoccus occidentalis Fuciková, Flechtner & L.A.Lewis
• Bracteacoccus polaris Fuciková, Flechtner & L.A.Lewis
• Bracteacoccus pseudominor H.W.Bischoff & Bold
• Bracteacoccus ruber Novis & Visnovsky
• Bracteacoccus xerophilus Fuciková, Flechtner & L.A.Lewis

A further species, Bracteacoccus helveticus (Kol & F.Chodat) Starr, was regarded as of "uncertain taxonomic status".

Notes and References

1. 10.1127/0029-5035/2012/0067 . Revision of the genus Bracteacoccus Tereg (Chlorophyceae, Chlorophyta) based on a phylogenetic approach . 2012 . Fučíková . Karolina . Flechtner . Valerie R. . Lewis . Louise A. . Nova Hedwigia . 96 . 1–2 . 15–59 .
2. Book: Gêneros de Algas de Águas Continentais do Brasil: chave para identificação e descrições . 2 . 2006 . Carlos E. M. . Bicudo . Mariângela . Menezes . RiMa Editora . 508 . 857656064X .
3. 10.5507/fot.2012.007 . Intersection of Chlorella, Muriella and Bracteacoccus: Resurrecting the genus Chromochloris Kol et Chodat (Chlorophyceae, Chlorophyta) . 2012 . Fučíková . Karolina . Lewis . Louise A. . Fottea . 12 . 83–93 . free .
4. 10.2216/10-69.1 . The tangled taxonomic history of Dictyococcus, Bracteacoccus and Pseudomuriella (Chlorophyceae, Chlorophyta) and their distinction based on a phylogenetic perspective . 2011 . Fučíková . Karolina . Rada . Jared C. . Lewis . Louise A. . Phycologia . 50 . 4 . 422–429 . 84281955 .