Raphidocelis
Genus of algae
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Raphidocelis is a genus of green algae in the family Selenastraceae.[2] They are found in freshwater habitats.[3]
| Raphidocelis | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Division: | Chlorophyta |
| Class: | Chlorophyceae |
| Order: | Sphaeropleales |
| Family: | Selenastraceae |
| Genus: | Raphidocelis Hindák |
| Type species | |
| Raphidocelis sigmoidea Hindák | |
| Species[1] | |
| |
One species, Raphidocelis subcapitata, is a common model organism in the field of toxicology, where it is used as a bioassay. It was previously known as Selenastrum capricornutum, a name later shown to be incorrect.[4]
Description
Raphidocelis consists of solitary cells or of colonies of cells within a thin layer of mucilage. Cells are crescent-shaped, with pointed ends that may be twisted out of the plane of the cell. Each cell contains a single parietal chloroplast filling the cell.[3] Raphidocelis is sometimes reported as lacking a pyrenoid; it does indeed contain one, although it is not covered in layer of starch grains making it often difficult to observe under the light microscope.[4]
Raphidocelis reproduces asexually by autospores; zoospores and sexual reproduction have not been observed in this genus.[1]
