REVISION OF ALGAL FLORA (DIATOMS) CHECKLIST IN TIGRIS RIVER WITHIN BAGHDAD CITY -IRAQ

The present study was confined to a taxonomical and systematical revision of all so far, recorded diatoms from study was Tigris River within Baghdad district. There is a lot of confusion in the naming and nomenclature of this and other groups of algae in Iraq and even in the whole middle east. Since various systematic categories have been used and applied for the identification of diatoms and another algal taxon. More than half of all so far, known diatoms (a total of 345 taxa) have been renamed by the most recent internationally accepted system of classification. In the current study, Bacillariophyta in Tigris involves 27 species of Coscinodiscophyceae, 48 species of Fragilariophyceae whereas, all other 267 species were found within Bacillariophyceae within the Baghdad district. All these taxa have been rearranged, revised, and renamed accordingly, to avoid any confusion or mistakes in naming diatoms in the future, however undoubtedly this will enhance a wider revision to include all other known algal taxon in Iraq and even the whole Middle east.

Seasonal changes in stress metabolites of native and introduced red algae in New Zealand

Intertidal algae have to cope with diurnally and seasonally fluctuating environmental factors such as salinity, temperature, dehydration, and light. In New Zealand, solar radiation, including the ultraviolet wavelengths, is also an important stress factor for such algae. Therefore, two native (Bostrychia arbuscula W.H.Harvey [Ceramiales], Champia novae-zelandiae (J.D.Hooker & Harvey) Harvey [Rhodymeniales]) and one introduced red algal taxon (Schizymenia spp. J. Agardh [Nemastomatales]) were investigated over 12 months in terms of stress metabolites which contribute to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and salinity tolerance. Mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs), which act as sunscreens, and organic osmolytes were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed. Porphyra-334, shinorine, and palythine were the most dominant MAAs yet distributed differently among the species. B. arbuscula showed a correlation between photosynthetically active radiation (PAR)/UVR and slightly higher MAA concentrations in summer. In contrast, C. novae-zelandiae displayed the lowest level of MAAs in summer, and no correlation was found between MAA values and solar radiation. In Schizymenia spp., the highest MAA amounts were found in summer, and for most months, a correlation with PAR/UV radiation was visible. While digeneaside and sorbitol were the dominant organic osmolytes in B. arbuscula, floridoside occurred in C. novae-zelandiae and Schizymenia spp. Only B. arbuscula exhibited higher organic osmolyte concentrations in summer. In contrast, floridoside contents in C. novae-zelandiae and Schizymenia spp. were low and highly variable over the course of the seasons. Our data indicate that both native red algal species are well acclimated to the intertidal zone. For the introduced Schizymenia spp., a more narrow salinity tolerance can be assumed, while the high MAA values may explain its establishment in New Zealand.

Morphological and molecular investigation of freshwater Hildenbrandia (Hildenbrandiales, Rhodophyta) with a new species reported from Japan

The morphological characterization and phylogenetic analysis based on molecular methods were executed on the freshwater Hildenbrandia specimens collected in this study. The cell size and filament height of the specimen collected from Pipa Lake, Japan were larger than the widely recognized species Hildenbrandia angolensis and Hildenbrandia rivularis, whereas overlapped with Hildenbrandia jigongshanensis. Based on molecular evidences of rbcL phylogenetic analysis and comparison of ITS1 secondary structure, specimen collected from Shiga Prefecture, Japan was proposed as a new species Hildenbrandia japananense. It brings the freshwater Hildenbrandia species in Japan to two. The specimens collected from Niangziguan, Shanxi province, China represent two new records of H. jigongshanensis. It enriches the species diversity of genus Hildenbrandia and increases the distribution diversity of this freshwater red algal taxon.

Observation of Taxonomic Features of A Terrestrial Algae Oedocladium Terrestre Biswas (Chlorophyceae) With Soil Analysis From West Bengal, India

In the present paper, a brief description along with valuable information of Oedocladium terrestre Biswas, a member of Oedogoniales of Chlorophyta, has been provided. This species was collected from a velvety green patches on damp soil at Jirat of Hooghly district, West Bengal, India. The bending of mature oogonium downwardly was an interesting feature that might be due to easy entry for gametes within this female structure. This character is appeared to be an ecological adaptation for terrestrial habitat. In addition to that, presence of narrower rhizoids in the thallus that helps penetrating, anchoring and absorbing water and mineral contents from soil also supported the terrestrial adaptation of this taxon. This is a rare algal taxon. The soil analysis of the algal distribution site showed the following features as: sand (36.1%), silt (28.1%), clay (35.8%), pH (7.1), EC (0.154 dSm-1), OC (6.7 mgkg-1), Ca2+ (4.8 cmol+kg-1), Na+ (0.72 cmol+kg-1), K+ (0.16 cmol+kg-1), WHC (47%) and total S (98.2 mgkg-1).J. Nat. Hist. Mus. Vol. 29, 2015,, Page: 1-8

A note on the genus name Rhodococcus Zopf 1891 and its homonyms

The genus name Rhodococcus Zopf 1891 was created to accommodate two species of red pigment (lipochrome)-producing bacteria. However, the genus name Rhodococcus Hansgirg 1884 had already been applied to an algal taxon. The wording of the 1975 and subsequent revisions of the Code dealing with bacteria/prokaryotes is such that the name Rhodococcus Zopf 1891 is illegitimate, despite the fact that it was included on the Approved Lists of Bacterial Names. Further research using databases of scientific names of organisms indicate the status of the name Rhodococcus Zopf 1891 needs to be carefully considered.

Hortonella uttingii, gen. nov., sp. nov., Udotéacées? (Algues vertes?) du Carbonifère inférieur

We describe here a new algal taxon observed in Tournaisian rocks of the Horton Group, Nova Scotia. The thallus morphology suggests an udoteacean, but the central medullary tubes are divided by septiform processes, a character normally associated with the Rhodophyta. Hortonella is also recognized in Visean strata of Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Alberta, and Algeria.