Raphidocelis

Raphidocelis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Chlorophyta
Class:	Chlorophyceae
Order:	Sphaeropleales
Family:	Selenastraceae
Genus:	Raphidocelis; Hindák
Type species
	Raphidocelis sigmoidea; Hindák;
Species
	Raphidocelis arcuata; Raphidocelis danubiana; Raphidocelis extensa; Raphidocelis inclinata; Raphidocelis mayorii; Raphidocelis microscopica; Raphidocelis mucosa; Raphidocelis pseudomucosa; Raphidocelis roselata; Raphidocelis rotunda; Raphidocelis sigmoidea; Raphidocelis subcapitata; Raphidocelis turfosa; Raphidocelis valida; Raphidocelis van-goorii;

Raphidocelis is a genus of green algae in the family Selenastraceae.² They are found in freshwater habitats.³

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

References

Guiry, M.D.; Guiry, G.M. "Raphidocelis". AlgaeBase. University of Galway. Retrieved 2023-05-15.
See the NCBI webpage on Raphidocelis. Data extracted from the "NCBI taxonomy resources". National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved 2007-03-19.
Bicudo, Carlos E. M.; Menezes, Mariângela (2006). Gêneros de Algas de Águas Continentais do Brasil: chave para identificação e descrições (2 ed.). RiMa Editora. p. 508. ISBN 857656064X.
Krienitz, Lothar; Bock, Christina; Nozaki, Hisayoshi; Wolf, Matthias (2011). "SSU rRNA gene phylogeny of morphospecies affiliated to the bioassay alga "Selenastrum capricornutum" recovered the polyphyletic origin of crescent-shaped Chlorophyta". Journal of Phycology. 47 (4): 880–893. Bibcode:2011JPcgy..47..880K. doi:10.1111/j.1529-8817.2011.01010.x. PMID 27020023. S2CID 1291369.

[AlgaeBase-1] Guiry, M.D.; Guiry, G.M. "Raphidocelis". AlgaeBase. University of Galway. Retrieved 2023-05-15.

[2] See the NCBI webpage on Raphidocelis. Data extracted from the "NCBI taxonomy resources". National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved 2007-03-19.

[Bicudo_and_Menezes2006-3] Bicudo, Carlos E. M.; Menezes, Mariângela (2006). Gêneros de Algas de Águas Continentais do Brasil: chave para identificação e descrições (2 ed.). RiMa Editora. p. 508. ISBN 857656064X.

[Krienitz-4] Krienitz, Lothar; Bock, Christina; Nozaki, Hisayoshi; Wolf, Matthias (2011). "SSU rRNA gene phylogeny of morphospecies affiliated to the bioassay alga "Selenastrum capricornutum" recovered the polyphyletic origin of crescent-shaped Chlorophyta". Journal of Phycology. 47 (4): 880–893. Bibcode:2011JPcgy..47..880K. doi:10.1111/j.1529-8817.2011.01010.x. PMID 27020023. S2CID 1291369.

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