Vitreochlamys primaverae (Volvocales, Chlorophyceae): A new green flagellate from the Antarctic Peninsula

MATALONI, G.; VÉLEZ, C.G.

ALGOLOGICAL STUDIES

E. Schweitzerbart science publishers

Lugar: Stuttgart; Año: 2009 vol. 131 p. 1 - 14

0342-1120

Abstract: The genus Vitreochlamys Batko comprises green flagellates with a swollen cell wall, closely related to the matrices of the multicellular Volvocales and Tetrasporales. The first Antarctic record of this genus consisted of a population inhabiting a small coastal pond in front of Argentinean Primavera station, which did not fit into any known species. This study deals with the taxonomic description of this population under Vitreochlamys primaverae sp. nov., and the ecological characterization of its type environment. The erection of this new species is sustained by its comparison with the three most similar species (V. aulata (Pascher) Batko, V. nekrassovii (Korshikov) Nakazawa and V. gloeocystiformis (Dill) Nakazawa) using a number of reliable morphological diacritic features, as well as by its noteworthy  biogeographical insulation, adaptation to extreme environmental conditions and poor low-range dispersion ability, probably on account of its particular environmental requirements.