Xenococcus spongiosum

Taxonavigation

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

Familia: Xenococcaceae
Genus: Xenococcus
Species: Xenococcus spongiosum

Name

Xenococcus spongiosum D. Konstantinou & S. Gkelis, 2021

Etymology: The specific epithet refers to the association of the species with sponges. From the Greek σπόγγος (spongos) – sponge.

• Type locality: Rocky reef of the sublittoral zone in Porto Valitsa, Kassandra, Chalkidiki Peninsula, Greece (39.951◦ N, 23.685◦ E), collected on October 10, 2014 at a depth of 9.8 m; found to live in association with the sponge Ircinia variabilis (Schmidt, 1862).

Description

Cells more or less spherical, usually densely and irregularly aggregated, attached to the substratum. Cells pinkish to reddish, 3.18–6.48 μm in diameter. Sheaths distinct, thin, colorless. Cells divided irregularly in two or more different planes. Baeocytes successfully arised, rounded. Thylakoids irregularly arranged.

References

Konstantinou, D., Voultsiadou, E., Panteris, E. & Gkelis, S. 2021. Revealing new sponge-associated cyanobacterial diversity: Novel genera and species. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 155: 106991. DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2020.106991