Coccomyxagreatwallensis sp. nov. (Trebouxiophyceae, Chlorophyta), a lichen epiphytic alga from Fildes Peninsula, Antarctica

Shunan Cao; Fang Zhang; Hongyuan Zheng; Fang Peng; Chuanpeng Liu; Qiming Zhou

doi:10.3897/phytokeys.110.26961

Coccomyxagreatwallensis sp. nov. (Trebouxiophyceae, Chlorophyta), a lichen epiphytic alga from Fildes Peninsula, Antarctica

PhytoKeys. 2018 Nov 2:(110):39-50. doi: 10.3897/phytokeys.110.26961. eCollection 2018.

Authors

Shunan Cao¹, Fang Zhang¹, Hongyuan Zheng^{1

2}, Fang Peng³, Chuanpeng Liu⁴, Qiming Zhou⁴

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory for Polar Science SOA, Polar Research Institute of China, No.451 Jinqiao Road, Pudong Avenue, Shanghai, 200136, China Polar Research Institute of China Shanghai China.
² College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China Tongji University Shanghai China.
³ China Centre for Type Culture Collection (CCTCC), College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, No. 299 Bayi Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan 430072, China Wuhan University Wuhan China.
⁴ School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, 2 Yikuang Street, Nangang Distinct, Harbin, 150080, China Harbin Institute of Technology Harbin China.

Abstract

A single-celled green alga Coccomyxagreatwallensis Shunan Cao & Qiming Zhou, sp. nov., isolated from a specimen of Antarctic lichen Psoromahypnorum (Vahl) Gray, is described and illustrated based on a comprehensive investigation of morphology, ultrastructure, ecology and phylogeny. The cells of C.greatwallensis are ovoid to long ellipsoidal and measured 3-5 µm × 6-12 µm. The new species has distinct ITS rDNA and SSU rDNA sequences and differs from the phylogenetic closely related species C.antarctica, C.arvernensis and C.viridis in cell size, distribution and habitat.

Keywords: Lichen epiphyte; Morphology; Phylogeny; TEM.