A Reinvestigation by Light and Electron Microscopy of Ruttnera Spectabilis Geitler (Haptophyceae), with Special Reference to the Fine Structure of the Zoids
Within the Chromophyta (sensu Christensen, 1962) a number of genera having benthic phases in which the vegetative cells are embedded in masses of thick, sometimes stratified mucilage, have been described from both marine and freshwater habitats. Examples include Gloeochrysis Pasch. (Pascher, 1925), Geochrysis Pasch. (Pascher, 1931), Sarcinochrysis Geitl. (Geitler, 1930), Chrysotila Anand (Anand, 1937) and Ruttnera Geitl. (Geitler, 1942). In many cases the vegetative stages are so similar morphologically as to be almost indistinguishable, especially in the juvenile condition in which the cells are often arranged in regular blocks (the ‘Sarcinochrysis’ condition) and under such circumstances it is difficult to ascertain their true systematic relationships.