Aphanothece

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Aphanothece
Aphanothece castagnei Rbh.
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Bacteria
Phylum: Cyanobacteria
Class: Cyanophyceae
Order: Chroococcales
Family: Aphanothecaceae
Genus: Aphanothece
C.Nägeli, 1849

Aphanothece is a polyphyletic genus with 63 accepted species.[1] The name is derived from the Greek words, ‘aphanes’ and ‘theke’ which mean “invisible" and “box or sheath” respectively.[2] This genera is cosmopolitan, found in soils, thermal springs[1] and other benthic, freshwater, marine, hypersaline, and moist terrestrial environments.[2] Morphology can vary,[3] with both microscopic and macroscopic colonies large enough to be collected and preserved in herbarium records.[2]

The formerly combined genera Aphanothece and Anathece can be differentiated by the size of cells, ecology and colony morphology. Anathece rarely forms colonies large enough to see and has much smaller cells, while Aphanothece can have colonies several cm in diameter and tends to have larger cells. Aphanothece species occupy a broader range of microhabitats that can be planktonic, subaerophytic, metaphytic, epipelic, or benthic. While benthic Anathece have been reported, they are typically planktonic. Anathece colonies are less defined and colorless, Aphanothece colonies and mucilage can be found in shades of green, grey, blue, brown and yellow.[3][1]

Ecology and Habitat

Taxonomy

References

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