Planktosphaeria
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| Planktosphaeria | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Planktosphaeria gelatinosa | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Clade: | Viridiplantae |
| Division: | Chlorophyta |
| Class: | Chlorophyceae |
| Order: | Sphaeropleales |
| Family: | Schizochlamydaceae |
| Genus: | Planktosphaeria G.M.Smith[1] |
| Type species | |
| Planktosphaeria gelatinosa G.M.Smith[1] | |
| Species | |
Planktosphaeria is a genus of Chlorophyceae of the green algae.[1] It was first described by the phycologist Gilbert Morgan Smith in 1918, with Planktosphaeria gelatinosa as its type species. Species of Planktosphaeria are commonly found in freshwater plankton around the world.[2]
Planktosphaeria consists of solitary cells or in clusters of 8 to 16. Cells are spherical, usually surrounded by a layer of mucilage, sometimes with multiple layers. Young cells have a single chloroplast with a pyrenoid.[3] Mature cells have numerous angular chloroplasts that are parietal, with one or several pyrenoids.[2]
Distinguishing Planktosphaeria from other nonmotile coccoid, spherical algae is difficult. Often, Planktosphaeria forms loose ring-like aggregations shortly after vegetative reproduction; when this happens, the mother cell wall may remain, which is a useful identification trait.[3]
