Synura is a genus of colonial chrysomonad algae covered with silica scales.[3] It is the most conspicuous genus of the order Synurales.[4]

Quick Facts Scientific classification, Species ...
Synura
Thumb
A colony of Synura sp.
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Clade: Diaphoretickes
Clade: SAR
Clade: Stramenopiles
Phylum: Gyrista
Subphylum: Ochrophytina
Class: Chrysophyceae
Order: Synurales
Family: Synuraceae
Lemmermann, 1899 emend. B.Y. Jo, J.I. Kim, W. Shin, P.Škaloud & P. Siver, 2016[1]
Genus: Synura
Ehrenberg, 1834
Species

See text.

Synonyms[2]
  • Chrysodidymus Prowse
Close

Description

Species of Synura form microscopic, spherical colonies, composed of multiple cells attached to each other at the center of the colony. Synura cells are variously shaped, typically spherical to pear-shaped or club-shaped. Each cell contains two plastids aligned with the long axis of the cell; they impart a distinctive golden color to the cells, which comes from chlorophyll c1 and fucoxanthin. Cells are covered with scales made of silica. Two flagella are present.[5]

Identification of species depends on the morphology of the scales. For many species, a positive identification is only possible with an electron microscope, either with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) or transmission electron microscopy (TEM).[5]

Classification

Synura is the type and only genus in the family Synuraceae.[1] The present taxonomy recognizes five sections:[3][4]

  • Section Peterseniae
    • S. americana
    • S. australiensis
    • S. borealis
    • S. conopea
    • S. glabra
    • S. heteropora
    • S. hibernica
    • S. laticarina
    • S. longisquama
    • S. macracantha
    • S. macropora
    • S. petersenii
  • Section Spinosae
    • S. curtispina
    • S. mollispina
    • S. nygaardii
    • S. sphagnicola
    • S. spinosa
  • Section Echinulatae
    • S. biseriata
    • S. echinulata
    • S. leptorrhabda
    • S. mammillosa
    • S. multidentata
  • Section Splendidae
    • S. splendida
  • Section Uvellae
    • S. uvella

References

Wikiwand in your browser!

Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.

Every time you click a link to Wikipedia, Wiktionary or Wikiquote in your browser's search results, it will show the modern Wikiwand interface.

Wikiwand extension is a five stars, simple, with minimum permission required to keep your browsing private, safe and transparent.