Leptothoe sithoniana

Taxonavigation

Taxonavigation: Synechococcales
Prokaryota Superregnum: Bacteria Group: Terrabacteria group Group: Cyanobacteria/Melainabacteria group Phylum: Cyanobacteria Classis: Cyanophyceae Subclassis: Synechococcophycideae Ordo: Synechococcales

Familia: Leptolyngbyaceae
Genus: Leptothoe
Species: Leptothoe sithoniana

Name

Leptothoe sithoniana D. Konstantinou & S. Gkelis, 2019

Etymology: The specific epithet sithoniana refers to Sithonia (Σιθωνία) Peninsula, close to the type locality of the species.

• Type locality: Rocky reef of the sublittoral zone of Porto Valitsa, Kassandra, Chalkidiki Peninsula, Greece (39.951° N, 23.685° E), collected on October 10, 2014 at a depth of 19.5 m; found to live in association with the sponge Petrosia ficiformis.

Description

Filaments with a single trichome per sheath, unbranched, straight to curved, densely, and irregularly entangled and joined in clusters. Sheaths colorless, firm, thin, and slightly distinct. Trichomes cylindrical, slightly constricted at the cross walls, not attenuated toward the ends. Trichomes appear reddish and do not exhibit gliding movement. Hormogonia formation common. Cells typically barrel shaped, shorter than wide to isodiametric, 0.76–1.65 μm in length and 0.97–1.8 μm in width. Cell contents homogenous. Thylakoids (three to four) arranged peripherally. End cells rounded.

References

• Konstantinou, D., Voultsiadou, E., Panteris, E., Zervou, S.K., Hiskia, A. & Gkelis, S. 2019. Leptothoe, a new genus of marine cyanobacteria (Synechococcales) and three new species associated with sponges from the Aegean Sea. Journal of Phycology, 55(4): 882-897. DOI: 10.1111/jpy.12866 Reference page.