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Two novel cyanobacteria (AP3 and AP3b) with thin cells and simple morphology were isolated from two islands of the Indian Sundarbans. The 16S rRNA phylogeny data revealed the distinct lineage of AP3b which was nearest to the clade incorporating the genus Oculatella and Tildeniella. Strain AP3 shared a common ancestor with the species Euryhalinema mangrovii. Additionally, the novel 16S rRNA gene sequences of strains AP3 and AP3b showed similarities about 98% and 93% respectively compared to those of established genera or species to which they were phylogenetically related. Furthermore, the folding patterns of semi-conservative structures like D1-D1’, Box-B and V2 helices of 16S-23S ITS region for both strains AP3 and AP3b displayed significant variations and uniqueness when compared with their respective reference strains (Euryhalinema mangrovii for AP3 and all the genera of Oculatellaceae for AP3b). Strain AP3 shared similar morphological features with its reference strain which confirmed its inter-species relationship. The diagnostic features of AP3b including the presence of necridic cells, aerotopes and a cluster-like growth pattern were found to be very contrasting. Altogether, these results substantiated the establishment of strain AP3b as a novel mono-specific genus named Aerofilum fasciculatum and strain AP3 as the second novel species under the genus Euryhalinema, referred to as Euryhalinema pallustris.

Several coccoid cyanobacterial strains, morphologically similar to typical characteristics of Chroococcus, from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau were isolated and characterized using a polyphasic approach including morphological and molecular information. Morphological characteristics, the phylogeny based on 16S rRNA gene, and 16S-23S internal transcribed spacer secondary structures support establishing a novel Chroococcus-like genus, Cryptochroococcus gen. nov., as well as Limnococcus fonticola sp. nov. Limnococcus is phylogenetically included in Chroococcaceae and has irregularly arranged thylakoids. Therefore, it should no longer be a member of Merismopediaceae (Synechococcales). The phylogeny based on the 16S rRNA gene revealed that Chroococcus-associated genera were monophyletic.

Cyanobacteria are a group of diverse prokaryotes that are capable of oxygenic photosynthesis. They are ubiquitous in nature and have been reported to survive in extreme environments. This study aimed to identify and assess the diversity of the cyanobacteria present in some mine tailing sites in the towns of Itogon and Tuba, in Benguet Province, Philippines using isolation-dependent and isolation-independent methods. Analysis of the water and sediment samples from the mine tailing sites (designated as Acu, Ampu, TSF1 and TSF3) showed higher metal concentrations in the sediment samples (2930–11,500 mg/kg dry weight Ca, 10–34 mg/kg dry weight Cr, 83–6500 mg/kg dry weight Cu, 6–172 mg/kg dry weight Pb, 8310–32,600 mg/kg dry weight Mg, 640–3400 mg/kg dry weight K, 43–144 mg/kg dry weight Zn), which were then processed for cyanobacterial enrichment. Identification of cyanobacteria was performed using the conventional isolation-dependent method for the characterization of microorganisms, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and isolation-independent 16S rRNA metabarcoding analysis. Both approaches revealed that Arthronema africanum (1.98–60.1%) and Leptolyngbya spp. (39.9–97.0%) of the Pseudoanabaenales dominated the cyanobacterial composition in all sites. The isolation-dependent method identified most of the dominant taxa such as Arthronema africanum, Leptolyngbya spp. and Calothrix spp. Nodosilinea spp. was also confirmed to be part of the cyanobacterial community through this method. Unicellular cyanobacteria such as Chroococcales and Synechococcales were also observed. However, they were not fully identified at lower taxonomic levels in both methods, especially Chroococcales. On the other hand, the isolation-independent method recovered other taxa in selected sites such as Calothrix (0.002–0.022%), Halomicronema (0.01%), Nostoc (0.006–0.03%), Phormidium (0.007–14.1%), Planktothrix (0.36%), Pseudoanabaena (0.02–0.6%), Acaryochloris (0.006%), and Thermosynechococcus (0.02–4.7%). Metabarcoding revealed that samples from small-scale mine tailing ponds of Acu and Ampu, and the inactive pond of the large scale mining site, TSF1, had higher species diversity and evenness as compared to its active pond, TSF3, based on Shannon and Simpson indices. However, TSF1 and TSF3 of the large-scale mine tailings had higher species richness than Acu and Ampu of small-scale mining based on Chao index. Altogether, this study provided an inventory of cyanobacteria that can survive even in extreme metal conditions giving insights to their future applications, particularly, in bioremediation.

Sampling of fungi in a grassland on a hill in Rojkov, Central Slovakia, revealed a new species of Luticola (Diadesmidaceae). Its terrestrial populations were found close to the basis of the fertile part of the geoglossoid fungi (Geoglossaceae) that were overgrown with filamentous cyanobacteria of the orders Oscillatoriales and Synechococcales. Luticola rojkoviensis sp. nov. is characterized by the valve outline and the structure of the external valve face: valves are weakly dorsiventrally asymmetrical, rhombic-lanceolate in larger cells to rhombic-elliptic and tri-undulate in smaller cells, with shortly protracted and broadly rounded valve apices. Valve face is minimally concave, as the axial area is lowered and the area around distal raphe elevated. The surface of the valve is mostly uneven due to many depressions, so the external shape of the areolae and the impression of irregular longitudinal rows depend on the extent of these valve ornamentations. Proximal raphe endings are unilaterally slightly deflected, expanded into small central pores. The shape of both the proximal and the distal raphe fissures is slightly asymmetrical. The morphological characteristics of Luticola rojkoviensis sp. nov. are remarkably similar to those of L. hustedtii Levkov, Metzeltin et A.Pavlov, L. ectorii Levkov, Metzeltin et A.Pavlov and L. acidoclinata Lange-Bertalot. The association of Luticola rojkoviensis sp. nov. with geoglossoid fungi and epiphytic cyanobacteria is discussed.

Cyanobium is a genus of picoprokaryotic cyanophytes, which includes species worldwide. The present study investigated the morphology, ultrastructure, and molecular phylogeny of the unrecorded genus Cyanobium Rippka & Cohen-Bazire 1983 and species Cyanobium gracile Rippka & Cohen-Bazire 1983. A C. gracile culture from a freshwater sample collected from the Adongji pond was established by singlecell isolation. Morphological data were analyzed using light and transmission electron microscopy. C. gracile lives as solitary cells without gelatinous envelopes and is ovate, oval, or shortly rod-shaped. Thylakoids are laid along the cell walls, with three thylakoid membranes parallel to each other. Nucleoplasm was observed in the center of the cell. Molecular phylogeny performed with data from 16S small subunit ribosomal DNA gene (SSU rDNA) sequences showed that the three strains of C. gracile, including the type strain (PCC6307) and a newly recorded strain (Adong101619), formed a distinct clade with a high supporting value (maximum-likelihood=100, pp=1.00). Based on morphology and molecular data, we report the newly recorded C. gracile in Korea.

Cyanobacteria are crucial ecosystem components in dryland soils. Advances in describing α-level taxonomy are needed to understand what drives their abundance and distribution. We describe Trichotorquatus gen. nov. (Oculatellaceae, Synechococcales, Cyanobacteria) based on four new species isolated from dryland soils including the coastal sage scrub near San Diego, California (USA), the Mojave and Colorado Deserts with sites at Joshua Tree National Park and Mojave National Preserve, California (USA), and the Atacama Desert (Chile). The genus is morphologically characterized by having thin trichomes (

Timaviella Sciuto & Moro is a recently established cryptic genus of cyanobacteria separated from the morphologically close Leptolyngbya due to clear differences in the 16S rRNA gene sequence and the 16S-23S ITS region secondary structure. Conducting research on biological soil crusts in coastal ecotopes of Ukraine and Germany, we repeatedly observed thin filamentous cyanobacteria morphologically corresponding to the common terrestrial species Leptolyngbya edaphica (Elenkin) Anagnostidis & Komárek. Molecular data based on 16S rRNA gene sequence comparison of the original strains of the morphospecies indicated unambiguous assignment to the genus Timaviella. Based on this finding, we proposed the new nomenclatural combination Timaviella edaphica (Elenkin) O.M. Vynogr. & Mikhailyuk in our previous publication. Deeper molecular study of the four original strains which were morphologically identified as T. edaphica based on the 16S rRNA gene concatenated with the 16S-23S ITS region and 16S-23S ITS secondary structure analysis showed that they are not identical. Three of them (isolated from biocrusts of Black Sea coast and forest path near Kyiv, Ukraine) had high similarity both in 16S rRNA (99.7–100%) and 16S-23S ITS (99.8–100%) hence actually representing T. edaphica. The strain Us-6-3 isolated from biocrusts on sand dunes of Usedom Island in the Baltic Sea, Germany, differs both from original strains of T. edaphica and all published Timaviella species in 16S rRNA gene sequence identity, as well as in sequence and structure of the 16S-23S ITS region. Here we describe Timaviella dunensis sp. nov. and give an expanded description of T. edaphica based on morphological and molecular features. A tabular review of Timaviella species with data on their phenotypic and genotypic features, ecology and distribution is included.

Timaviella edaphica (Elenkin) O.M. Vynogr. & Mikhailyuk (Figs 3, 4, 6 A–G, Tab. 4) Basionym: Plectonema puteale (Kirchner) Hansgirg f. edaphicum Elenkin 1949. Monogr. Alg. Cyanoph., Pars. Spec. 2: 1783, fig. 541. Synonyms: Plectonema edaphicum (Elenkin) Vaulina 1959; Plectonema edaphicum (Hollerbach) Vaulina in Kondratyeva, 1968; Pseudophormidium edaphicum (Elenkin) Anagnostidis et Komárek 1988; non Leptolyngbya edaphica (Hollerbach ex Elenkin) Komárek et Anagnostidis 2005). Diagnosis: Differing from all Timaviella species in sheath appearance, length of D1-D1’ and Box-B helices, structure and sequence of the regions above the basal stem. Description: Thallus radially spreading, felt with fleecy surface or firm, leathery, dirty grey-blue-green to dark brown. Filaments long, flexuousus and curved, 2.6–4.1 (5.0) μm wide. False branching rare, single and geminate. Sheath thin and colorless or dull grey, with increasing age becoming thick, ocassionally swollen, slightly to intensely brownish, sometimes with sharply outlined almost blackish outer layer. Trichomes slightly constricted and sometimes granulated at cross-walls, 2.2–2.6 μm wide. Cells cylindrical, isodiametric to elongated, with 4-6 parietal thylakoids, 2.2–4.3 μm long. End cells rounded. Necridia present. Trichome fragmentation occurred with or without necridia and led to the formation of short hormogonia.The cell division symmetrical and perpendicular to the long axis of the filament; however in meristematic zones it may be oblique. D1-D1’ helix 67 nucleotides long, with four internal loops at positions 6/54–62, 13-15/45-47, 21/ 39 and 24/35-36, with terminal loop having sequence 5’- CAUG -3’. Box B helix 35 nucleotides long, with two unpaired cytosine residues at positions10 and 30. Terminal loop 5 nucleotides long, 5’-GACAG-3’.V2 helix 10 nucleotides long, terminal loop 4 nucleotides, 5’-AUGA-3’. V3 helix 60 nucleotides long, with two asymmetrical internal loops at positions 5/54-56 and 23/33-34, and two unpaired uracil and adenine residues at positions 46 and 51 of the 3’ strand. Terminal loop 3 nucleotides long, 5’-GAU-3’. Collection locality: The coast of the Sea of Azov, vicinities of Kazantip Nature Reserve, Aqtash Lake spit, Crimea, Ukraine, 45°43′85″ N 35°85′25″ E, collected on 8 August 2012 by Tatiana Mikhailyuk. Coquina beach, biocrusts with dominance of cyanobacteria. Holotype here designated: KW-A-32530, Algotheca, Herbarium of the M.G. Kholodny Institute of Botany of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (KW), Kyiv, Ukraine. Reference strain: KZ-7-1-2 was deposited at the German Collection for Microorganisms and Cell Cultures (DSM 112877), Braunschweig, Germany, as well as at the culture collection of the M.G. Kholodny Institute of Botany of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (IBASU-A-751). Additional strains: KZ-23-2, Golos-9-1 (IBASU-A-752, 753). Additional sampling localities: the coast of the Sea of Azov, Kazantip Nature Reserve, cape Cherny (clay scree, biocrusts with dominance of cyanobacteria, Crimea, Ukraine). National Nature park „Holosiivsky“, Maxim Rylsky Holosiivsky Park (forest track, moss biocrust, Kyiv, Ukraine)., Published as part of Mikhailyuk, Tatiana, Vinogradova, Oksana, Holzinger, Andreas, Glaser, Karin, Akimov, Yuri & Karsten, Ulf, 2022, Timaviella dunensis sp. nov. from sand dunes of the Baltic Sea, Germany, and emendation of Timaviella edaphica (Elenkin) O. M. Vynogr. & Mikhailyuk (Synechococcales, Cyanobacteria) based on an integrative approach, pp. 192-208 in Phytotaxa 532 (3) on page 198, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.532.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5964572, {"references":["Elenkin, A. A. (1949) Monographia Algarum Cyanophycearum Aquidulcium et Terrestrium in finibus URSS inventarum, Spec. pt 2. AN USSR Press, Moscow; Leningrad [Rus.]","Vaulina, E. N. (1959) On the systematic position of the soil form Plectonema puteale (Kirchn.) Hansg. Bot. Mat. Dept. Spore Plants 12: 19 - 22.","Kondratyeva, N. V. (1968) Class Hormogoniophyceae. Identification manual of freshwater algae of Ukrainian SSR, Vol. 1, pt 2, Naukova Dumka Press, Kyiv [Ukr.]","Anagnostidis, K. & Komarek, J. (1988) Modern approach to the classification system of cyanophytes. 3. Oscillatoriales. Algological Studies 50 - 53: 327 - 472.","Komarek, J. & Anagnostidis, K. (2005) Cyanoprokaryota. 2. Oscillatoriales. Susswasserflora von Mitteleuropa, Bd 19 / 2, Elsevier Spectr., Munchen."]}

Timaviella dunensis Mikhailyuk & O.M. Vynogr. sp. nov. (Figs. 3, 5, 6, H–M, Tab. 4) Diagnosis: Morphologically and ecologically similar to T. edaphica differing in the colorless sheath, wider filaments and trichomes, conical end cells, longer Box-B and D1-D1’ helices; structure of V3 helix in the position 9-50 and of basal stem and terminal loop in V2. Differs from T. circinata in Box-B and V3 helices length, the structure in the D1- D1’, Box-B and V3 helices, as well as the color of thallus, rare false branching, wider trichomes, parallel thylakoids and presence of necridia. ...continued on the next page Description: Thallus radially spreading, expanded, leathery, brownish, dark olive, blue-green to light greenish. Filaments long, variously curved, (3.0) 3.8-4.9 (6.0) μm wide. False branching rare, mostly double. Sheath colourless, firm, thick. Trichomes slightly constricted at cross-walls, occasionally becoming almost biseriate due to oblique division and compression of cells, 2.2–3.3 μm wide. Cells cylindrical, isodiametric to longer than wide, with parietal thylakoids, 2.2–3.5 μm long. End cells rounded to conical. Necridia in both young and senescing trichomes, hormogonia rare. D1- D1’ helix 85 nucleotides long, with a 3’ unilateral bulge at position –/ 73-80, five internal loops at position 10/68, 14- 15/63-64, 20/58, 23/54-55 and 31/46. Terminal loop having sequence 5’-UCUC-3’. Box B helix 48 nucleotides long, with several assymetrical internal loops at position 6/41–42, 9–10/39 and –/30–32. Terminal loop 5 nucleotides long, 5’-AUAAU-3’. V2 helix 10 nucleotides long, terminal loop 4 nucleotides, 5’-AUUA-3’. V3 helix 60 nucleotides long, with several internal loops at positions 4/53–55, 9–10/47–50 and 23/34. Terminal loop having sequence 5’-GAAA-3’. Etymology: Named for its occurrence in biocrusts on dunes; dunensis (L) = of dunes. Holotype here designated: KW-A-32531, Algotheca, Herbarium of the M.G. Kholodny Institute of Botany of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (KW), Kyiv, Ukraine. Reference strain: Us-6-3 was deposited at the German Collection for Microorganisms and Cell Cultures (DSM 112875), Braunschweig, Germany, as well as at culture collection of the M.G. Kholodny Institute of Botany of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (IBASU-A-754). Type locality: The coast of the Baltic Sea, Usedom Island, vicinity of Zempin, Germany, 54°04′17″ N 13°58′04″ E, collected on 8 October 2013 by Tatiana Mikhailyuk. Sand dunes, biocrusts with dominance of cyanobacteria and streptophyte algae., Published as part of Mikhailyuk, Tatiana, Vinogradova, Oksana, Holzinger, Andreas, Glaser, Karin, Akimov, Yuri & Karsten, Ulf, 2022, Timaviella dunensis sp. nov. from sand dunes of the Baltic Sea, Germany, and emendation of Timaviella edaphica (Elenkin) O. M. Vynogr. & Mikhailyuk (Synechococcales, Cyanobacteria) based on an integrative approach, pp. 192-208 in Phytotaxa 532 (3) on pages 198-205, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.532.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5964572, {"references":["Sciuto, K., Moschin, E. & Moro, I. (2017) Cryptic cyanobacterial diversity in the Giant Cave (Trieste, Italy): the new genus Timaviella (Leptolyngbyaceae). Cryptogamie, Algologie 38: 285 - 323. https: // doi. org / 10.7872 / crya / v 38. iss 4.2017.285","Mai, T., Johansen, J. R., Pietrasiak, N., Bohunicka, M. & Martin, M. P. (2018) Revision of the Synechococcales (Cyanobacteria) through recognition of four families including Oculatellaceae fam. nov. and Trichocoleaceae fam. nov. and six new genera containing 14 species. Phytotaxa 365 (1): 1 - 59. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / phytotaxa. 365.1.1"]}

Two isolates of Oculatella from biological soil crusts in the arid and semi-arid tropical upland region of Mexico were characterized using a polyphasic approach which included morphology, ecology, 16S rRNA and 16S-23S ITS phylogenetic analysis, percent identity of 16S rRNA gene sequence, percent dissimilarity of 16S-23S ITS sequence, and secondary structure of conserved ITS domains. The two species shared the generic synapomorphy of a reddish granule at the tip of mature apical cells, and possessed a single ribosomal operon with both tRNA genes (tRNAIle and tRNAAla) based upon our analysis and the analysis of the other species in the genus. After characterization, the strains were compared with 10 previously described and similarly characterized species in the genus, and based upon the evidence obtained, the strains were described as two new species, O. dilatativagina and O. leona. O. dilatativagina has an extensively widened sheath, and thus is morphologically separated from all other taxa described thus far. O. leona is morphologically highly similar to soil species found in North and South America, and should be considered a cryptic species among these taxa. The recently developed criterion for species recognition using percent dissimilarity among ITS gene sequences in orthologous ribosomal operons was found to be effective in separating cryptic species of Oculatella, and has consistently been useful and sufficient for separation of closely related species in other cyanobacterial genera.

A cyanobacterial strain isolated from the Svalbard archipelago was studied using morphological, ecological, and molecular approaches. The morphology of natural populations fit well the description of the Leptolyngbya s.l. however, in culture, they formed specific nodules that prevented affiliation to this genus. Further phylogenetic analyses including the 16S rRNA gene and 16S-23S ITS region revealed that the strain corresponds to the genus Nodosilinea. Based on this total evidence approach, we provide here a description of the new taxon Nodosilinea svalbardensis sp. nov.

Aerofilum fasciculatum sp. nov. Chakraborty et Mukherjee Description Thallus blue-green, growth pattern appears like fascicles or bundles rather than forming a mat-like biofilm. Filaments isopolar, uniseriate, unbranched, cells slightly longer than their width, cell length ranged from 1.4 - 2.1 µm and width 0.9 - 1.1 µm. Cross walls have distinct constrictions. Trichomes were cylindrical, immotile, no heterocyte or akinete. Small sized filaments known as hormogonia helps in propagation. Necridic cells present. Ultrastructure includes parietal thylakoids, aerotopes present. Holotype (designated here): Holotype (AP3b) deposited and cryopreserved in the Microbial Culture Collection (MCC), India having accession number MCC 3478. Type locality: Lothian island (21.39.1N 88.19.37E) of the Indian Sundarbans, India. Etymology: The specific epithet ‘fasciculatum’ reflects the growth pattern of the strain appearing to grow as a cluster or fascicles instead of forming a mat-like biofilm.

Euryhalinema pallustris Chakraborty & Mukherjee sp. nov. Description Thallus greenish in color, forming a mat-like biofilm. Filaments typically unbranched, straight, isopolar, attached to the soil surface (mainly sub-aerophytic) growing as an extensive mat-like biofilm. Cells of the intermediate trichome were larger in size than the cells towards apex, cells much longer than wide, cellular dimensions 1.1 - 1.6 µm (length) and 0.4 - 0.5 µm (width), mucilaginous sheath absent, cell contents homogeneous, green without any granulated appearance, aerotopes absent. No heterocytes and akinetes. Cell division takes place by asymmetrical binary fission. Reproductive propagation by the help of hormogonia. Holotype: Holotype (AP3) deposited and cryopreserved in Microbial Culture Collection (MCC), India bearing an accession number MCC3172. Type locality: Sagar island (21.44.7N 88.7.2E) of the Indian Sundarbans, India. Etymology: The specific epithet ‘ pallustris’ represents the swampy habitat of the strain from where it was collected.

Aerofilum Chakraborty et Mukherjee, gen. nov. Thallus blue-green, growth like fascicles or bundles. Filaments isopolar, uniseriate, unbranched, cells slightly longer than their width, cell length ranged from 1.4 - 2.1 µm and width 0.9 - 1.1 µm. Cross walls have distinct constrictions. Type species (designated here): Aerofilum fasciculatum Chakraborty et Mukherjee Etymology: The generic epithet “ Aerofilum ” is derived from Aero Greek for ‘air’ as the strain possesses gas vesicles (aerotopes) and filum Greek for ‘filament’., Published as part of Chakraborty, Sandeep, Maruthanayagam, Veerabadhran, Achari, Anushree, Pramanik, Arnab, Jaisankar, Parasuraman & Mukherjee, Joydeep, 2021, Aerofilum fasciculatum gen. nov., sp. nov. (Oculatellaceae) and Euryhalinema pallustris sp. nov. (Prochlorotrichaceae) isolated from an Indian mangrove forest, pp. 165-186 in Phytotaxa 522 (3) on page 182, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.522.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5560375

Cyanotoxins are an emerging threat to freshwater resources worldwide. The most frequently reported cyanotoxins are the microcystins, which threaten the health of humans, wildlife, and ecosystems. Determining the potential for microcystin production is hindered by a lack of morphological features that correlate with microcystin production. However, amplicon-based methods permit the detection of microcystin biosynthesis genes and were employed to assess the toxin potential in Lake Utopia, NB, Canada, an oligotrophic lake that occasionally experiences cyanobacteria blooms. Samples collected at 2 week intervals from June 27th to September 27th, 2016, were screened by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the microcystin synthetase E gene (mcyE). The mcyE gene was present in some samples every sampling day, despite microcystin not being detected via ELISA, and was most frequently associated with the larger pore size fractions of the serially filtered samples. Further PCR surveys using primer sets to amplify genus-specific (e.g., Microcystis, Anabaena/Dolichospermum, and Planktothrix) mcyE fragments identified Microcystis as the only taxa in Lake Utopia with toxigenic potential. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA V3-V4 region revealed a community dominated by members of the order Synechococcales (from 38 to 96% relative abundance), but with significant presence of taxa from Cyanobacteriales including Microcystaceae and Nostocaceae. A persistent Microcystis population was detected in samples both testing positive and negative for the mcyE gene, highlighting the importance of identifying cyanotoxin production potential by gene presence and not species identity. To our knowledge, this study represents the first application of amplicon-based approaches to studying toxic cyanobacteria in an understudied region-Atlantic Canada.

The collection of Pinocchia daecheonga sp. nov. was performed at the Daecheong Lake in Korea, five strains of which with four clones were investigated through light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and molecular data comprising the 16S rRNA to 23S rRNA gene. P. daecheonga differed from type species P. polymorpha by absence of the polar aerotopes. Investigated stains and four clones of P. daecheonga turned out to be a sister clade to the P. polymorpha according to the phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene. In addition, the Pinocchia was clustered with the family Leptolyngbyaceae members, genera Leptothoe and Leptoelongatus. 16S–23S rRNA intergenic transcribed spacer (ITS) region of P. daecheonga was found to be substantially distinct to P. polymorpha in terms of the secondary structure and nucleotide sequence composition, which concludes that the Pinocchia daecheonga isolated from the Daecheong Lake is a unique species due to differences in morphology and genetic traits compared to the relative P. polymorpha.

Cyanobacteria are ubiquitous in marine environments and play an important role as primary producers. Some cyanobacteria, the so-called cyanobionts (cyanobacterial symbionts), have a symbiotic relationship with unicellular organisms. Among these relationships, in particular, the nature (e.g., genetic diversity, host or cyanobiont specificity, and cyanobiont seasonality) of the cyanobiont-dinoflagellate host consortia remains poorly understood. In this study, 16S rDNA of cyanobionts in 138 single host cells isolated over four seasons from temperate waters were sequenced using the MiSeq platform. Genetic analysis of cyanobionts from the dinoflagellate host Ornithocercus revealed that three genetic types of Synechococcales cyanobionts occurred in a wide range of water temperatures (11–24 °C), and their distribution seemed to be closely associated with variations in salinity. Furthermore, a certain degree of host (or cyanobiont) specificity in cyanobionts (or the host) among Ornithocercus species as well as among other dinophysoid species (i.e. Amphisolenia, Citharistes, and Histioneis), was observed. In addition to the Synechococcales cyanobionts, this study identified OTU sequences affiliated with Vampirovibrionales and Chroococcidiopsidales in some Ornithocercus cells, suggesting that Ornithocercus species are an additional habitat for these bacterial groups.

Cyanobacteria are ecologically versatile microorganisms, occupying diverse habitats, from terrestrial caves to coastal shores and from brackish lakes to thermal springs. Cyanobacteria have also been linked with hydrogen cyanide (HCN), mainly for their ability to catabolize HCN by the nitrogenase enzyme. In this context, we sampled disparate environments, spanning from Canary Islands and Iceland to Estonia and Cyprus. Eighty-one (81) strains were isolated and characterised with taxonomic indices and molecular markers (16S-23S rRNA region and cpcBA region), whilst their ability to produce HCN was evaluated. This approach resulted in the description of five new genera (Speleotes, Haliplanktos, Olisthonema, Speos, and Iphianassa) and their type species (S. anchialus, H. antonyquinny, O. eestii, S. fyssassi, I. zackieohae) representing Chroococcales, Chroococcidiopsales, Oscillatoriales, Synechococcales, and Nostocales orders, respectively. We also found unique lineages inside the genera Komarekiella, Stenomitos, Cyanocohniella, and Nodularia, describing four new species (K. chia, S. pantisii, C. hyphalmyra, N. mediterannea). We report for the first time a widespread production of HCN amongst different taxa and habitats. Epilithic lifestyle, where cyanobacteria are more vulnerable to grazers, had the largest relative frequency in HCN production. In this work, we show novel cyanobacteria diversity from various habitats, including an unexplored anchialine cave, and possible correlation of cyanobacteria chemo- with species diversity, which may have implications on strategic focusing of screening programs on underexploited taxa and/or habitats.

Molecular data based revision of Leptolyngbya, the largest polyphyletic genus of the family Leptolyngbyaceae (Synechococcales) is imperative. Polyphasic approach to the taxonomic analysis of two (AP9F and AP25) cyanobacteria, tentatively designated positions in the “LPP-group” is described. Cell shapes of AP9F and AP25 were highly elongated whereas the cells of the reference strains (Leptolyngbya boryana and Nodosilinea nodulosa) were occasionally elongated to isodiametrical. Terminal cells of AP9F and AP25 appeared as flattened corners (not rounded), which was different from other Leptolyngbyaceae members. 16S rRNA gene sequences of AP9F (1366 bp) and AP25 (1408 bp) showed 95% and 92% similarities respectively with the non-redundant nucleotide sequences of their closest relatives of the Leptolyngbya genus. Test strains were located in the phylogenetic tree in a clade different from the ones containing the type species. A single operon having both tRNAile and tRNAala genes were present in the ITS regions of AP9F and AP25 compared to two operons in the ITS region of the genera Leptolyngbya and Nodosilinea: one having both tRNAile and tRNAala genes and another lacking both the genes. The secondary structures of the traditionally conservative D-stem region as well as the Box B helix and V3 regions of the ITS operons significantly varied between the test strains and also when compared with the corresponding sequences of L. boryana and N. nodulosa. Molecular phylogenetic and morphological data suggested AP9F and AP25 to be monophyletic taxa for which the names Euryhalinema mangrovii gen. nov., sp. nov. and Leptoelongatus litoralis gen. nov., sp. nov. are proposed respectively.

Cyanobacteria are photoautotrophic microorganisms able to colonize historic stone monuments, causing severe aesthetic, physical and chemical alterations to the substrate. In a study that aimed to fingerprint the phototrophic community of the biodeteriorated walls of the Old Cathedral of Coimbra (UNESCO World Heritage Site), an unknown Myxacorys-like cyanobacterium was isolated. In this paper, we employed a polyphasic approach based on morphological, ecological and phylogenetic analyses of the partial 16S and the whole 16S-23S ITS rRNA regions. The resulting analyses allowed us to propose the description of a new species, Myxacorys almedinensis sp. nov. within the genus Myxacorys.

The Rhynie chert provides sublime fossils of cyanobacteria from an Early Devonian hot spring ecosystem. However, only a small fraction of the diversity has been documented. Rhyniotaxillus devonicus nov. gen. et sp., a minute coccoid cyanobacterium from the Rhynie chert, is characterized by cuboid to somewhat irregular colonies of up to 64 cells (cell diameter: 2.5–3.5 μm) arranged into sarcinoid packages, and held together by prominent gelatinous envelopes. Colony morphology parallels that seen in certain present-day species of Eucapsis (Synechococcales) and Entophysalis (Chroococcales), as well as Eoentophysalis belcherensis, a Precambrian fossil equivalent of Entophysalis. The systematic affinities of R. devonicus remain unresolved. Nevertheless, this discovery expands our knowledge of cyanobacterial diversity in early non-marine ecosystems.

In 2013, UNESCO classified the ‘University of Coimbra – Alta and Sofia’ (Portugal) as World Heritage site. Some of the limestone monuments that compose the site, such as the Old Cathedral of Coimbra, show clear visual effects of biological colonization by cyanobacteria and microalgae. The aim of this study was to thoroughly characterize the structural diversity of the photoautotrophic community at this site, combining isolation and molecular identification with next-generation sequencing techniques. Culture-dependent approaches resulted on the identification of green microalgae belonging to Prasiolales, Chlorellales, Watanabea, Chlamydomonadales and Sphaeropleales clades, and cyanobacteria belonging to Nostocales and Synechococcales clades. Culture-independent methods using Illumina Platform resulted in the identification of 610 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs), revealing the presence of populations within phyla Chlorophyta, Cyanobacteria, Rhodophyta and Stramenopiles/Bacillariophyta. In addition, principal component analysis (PCA) and a network analysis were generated and successfully related the different populations to specific biodeterioration scenarios observed at this monument. The use of culture-dependent and -independent techniques together with PCA and network analysis allowed us to understand the distribution patterns of the photoautotrophic community among the different biofilms observed at this monument, as well as their ecological specifications. This study highlights that both cultivation and metagenomics methodologies should be employed synergistically in similar biodeterioration studies.

A novel filamentous, nonheterocytous cyanobacterium was isolated from Lagos Lagoon, Nigeria. The isolate was

Halophilic and freshwater strains of cyanobacteria representing the Oscillatoriales, Nostocales, Chroococcales, and Synechococcales orders of Cyanophyta were examined to determine (i) the resistance of their cultures when suppressed by the presence of exogenous methoxylated and methylated derivatives of 2'-hydroxychalcone, (ii) morphological changes in cells treated with the tested chalcones and, most importantly, (iii) whether these photoautotrophic microorganisms transform chalcone derivatives in a structure- or strain-dependent manner. The growth of cyanobacterial cultures depended on chalcone derivatives and the strain; nevertheless, trends for correlations between these parameters are difficult to determine. The exposure of cyanobacteria to the tested chalcones revealed severe membrane damage that was consistent with the disruption of membrane integrity. All examined blue-green algae transformed methoxy derivatives of 2'-hydroxychalcone via hydrogenative bio-reduction and formed the corresponding hydroxydihydro derivatives with various efficiencies (≤1 - 70%), depending more on the structure than on the strain. We observed dependency of the routes and efficiency of biohydrogenation of tested chalcones on the location of the methoxyl substituent and, to a lesser extent, on cyanobacterial strains. 2'-hydroxy-4″-methylchalcone was also converted by cyanobacteria to various products, amongst which the most interesting were 2'-ethoxy derivatives. The final products of biocatalytic transformation were extracted from the cyanobacterial media, separated by high performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) and identified by a combination of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS technique) and one-dimensional (1D 1H and 13C) and two-dimensional (2D HSQC and COSY) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy.

Abstract FigureThe morphology, 16S rRNA gene phylogeny and the 16S-23S rRNA gene ITS secondary structures of three strains of marine Cyanobacteria, isolated from inter- and subtidal environments from north Portugal were studied, resulting in the description of Zarkia subtidalensis gen. et. sp. nov. (Zarkiaceae fam. nov.) and Romeriopsis marina gen. et. sp. nov (Leptolyngbyaceae). No diacritical morphological characters were found either for the new family or for the new genera. The 16S rRNA gene Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian phylogenies supported that Zarkia and Zarkiaceae are members of the Oscillatoriales, positioned close to Microcoleaceae genera, but distant from Microcoleus. Romeriopsis is positioned within the Leptolyngbyaceae and is closely related to Alkalinema. The secondary structures of the D1-D1’, Box B, V2 and V3 helices corroborate with the phylogenetic results. Furthermore, our study supports previous observations of polyphyletic Oscillatoriales families and reinforces the need for their taxonomical revision.

Although RNA helicases are essentially ubiquitous and perform roles in all stages of RNA metabolism, phylogenetic analysis of the DEAD (Asp-Glu-Ala-Asp)-box RNA helicase family in a single phylum has not been performed. Here, we performed a phylogenetic analysis on DEAD-box helicases from all currently available cyanobacterial genomes, comprising a total of 362 helicase protein sequences from 280 strains. DEAD-box helicases belonging to three distinct clades were observed. Two clades, the CsdA (cold shock DEAD-box A)-like and RhlE (RNA helicase E)-like helicases, cluster with the homologous proteins from Escherichia coli . The third clade, the CrhR (cyanobacterial RNA helicase Redox)-like helicases, is unique to cyanobacteria and characterized by a conserved sequence motif in the C-terminal extension. Restricted distribution is observed across cyanobacterial diversity with respect to both helicase type and strain. CrhR-like and CsdA-like helicases essentially never occur together, while RhlE always occurs with either a CrhR-like or CsdA-like helicase. CrhR-like and RhlE-like proteins occurred in filamentous cyanobacteria of the orders Nostocales , Oscillatoriales and Synechococcales . Similarly, CsdA- and RhlE-like proteins are restricted to unicellular cyanobacteria of the genera Cyanobium and Synechococcus . In addition, the unexpected occurrence of RhlE in two Synechococcus strains suggests recent acquisition and evolutionary divergence. This study, therefore, raises physiological and evolutionary questions as to why DEAD-box RNA helicases encoded in cyanobacterial lineages display restricted distributions, suggesting niches that require either CrhR or CsdA RNA helicase activity but not both. Extensive conservation of gene synteny surrounding the previously described rimO–crhR operon is also observed, indicating a role in the maintenance of photosynthesis. The analysis provides insights into the evolution, origin and dissemination of sequences within a single gene family to yield divergent functional roles.

Cyanobacteria are able to synthesize a high diversity of natural compounds that account for their success in the colonization of a variety of ecological niches. Many of them have beneficial properties. The mud from the thermal baths of Balaruc-Les-Bains, one of the oldest thermal baths in France, has long been recognized as a healing treatment for arthro-rheumatic diseases. To characterize the cyanobacteria living in these muds and the metabolites they potentially produce, several strains were isolated from the water column and biofilms of the retention basin and analyzed using a polyphasic approach. Morphological, ultrastructural and molecular (16S rRNA gene and 16S-23S ITS region sequencing) methods were employed to identify nine cyanobacterial strains belonging to the orders Chroococcales, Synechococcales, Oscillatoriales and Nostocales. The combination of morphological and genetic characteristics supported the description of a new genus and species with the type species asPseudo-chroococcus couteii. The high taxonomic diversity in the muds of the thermal baths of Balaruc-Les-Bains along with literature reports of the potential for bioactive metabolite synthesis of these taxa allowed us to hypothesize that some of the metabolites produced by these strains could contribute to the therapeutic properties of the muds from Thermes de Balaruc-Les-Bains.

© 2020 by the authors., Microorganisms can survive in extreme environments and oligotrophic habitats thanks to their specific adaptive capacity. Due to its severe and contrasting climate conditions, the cold mountain desert in Eastern Pamir provides a unique environment for analyzing microbial adaptation mechanisms occurring within colonization of endolithic habitats. This study aims to investigate the composition and structure of endolithic microbial communities and analyze the interactions between microorganisms and colonized lithic substrates. Endolithic biofilms were examined using scanning electron microscopy in backscattered electron mode (SEM-BSE) and next-generation sequencing (NGS) applying amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) approach. The investigation of the V3–V4 region of 16S rRNA gene revealed that endolithic communities are dominated by Actinobacteria (26%), Proteobacteria (23%), and Cyanobacteria (11.4%). Cyanobacteria were represented by Oxyphotobacteria with a predominance of subclasses of Oscillatoriophycidae, Synechococcophycideae, and Nostocophycidae as well as the rarely occurring Sericytochromatia. The positive correlation between the contribution of the orders Synechococcales and Rhizobiales to community structure suggests that some functionally closed taxa of Cyanobacteria and Proteobacteria can complement each other, for example, in nitrogen fixation in endolithic communities. The endolithic communities occurring in Eastern Pamir were identified as complex systems whose composition and structure seem to be influenced by the architecture of microhabitats and related microenvironmental conditions., This research was funded by the National Science Centre, grant number 2015/19/B/NZ9/00473 (IJ), the Ministry of Science and Higher Education through the Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw intramural grant number DSM501-D114-86-0117600-16 (NK), the grant PID2019-105469RBC22 (AR) and Integrated Development Programme (ZIP) of the University of Warsaw (NK).

Monitoring toxigenic cyanobacteria in freshwaters is of great importance due to the adverse health impacts on humans and aquatic organisms. Here we studied cyanobacterial occurrence and biodiversity in a drinking water reservoir in Tehran province, Iran. In total, nine different species representing three orders of Synechococcales, Oscillatoriales and Nostocales were isolated and classified into six families and seven genera ranging from 92.3% to 99.0% similarities in their partial 16S rDNA with GenBank sequences. The cultures were analyzed for cyanotoxins production by the Artemia salina bioassay, ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) and also screened for the presence of marker genes involved in toxins production. Ethyl acetate extracts of three strains showed more than 50% mortality on A. salina larvae after 24 h at a concentration of 500 µg/ml. Production of at least one of the cyanotoxins, microcystin (MC), cylindrospermopsin (CYN) and anatoxin-a (ATX-a), was detected in 6 of the strains. Seven MC variants with a total concentration of 130.6 ng/mg of biomass dry weight were detected for the strain Phormidium sp. UTMC6001 and molecular screening of the mcyE gene also confirmed the presence of this biomarker in its genome. Our study also revealed the production of CYN in a novel picocyanobacterial strain Cyanobium sp. UTMC6007 at 1.0 ng/mg of biomass dry weight. Considering the limited information on freshwater toxic cyanobacteria taxonomy in the Middle East, these findings will expand our knowledge and consequently aid in development of new water management policies in future.

The present study investigated the biofilm organisms growing on selected monuments of the Champaner Pavagadh complex (Gujarat, India), which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The cyanobacteria and microalgae were isolated from biofilms collected through non-destructive methods. The identification of these biological organisms was done using micro-morphological characters and confirmed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The exopolysaccharide of each of the isolated strains was extracted, hydrolysed and analysed by the HPTLC. Six isolated strains representing five cyanobacteria and one microalga belong to the genera Desmonostoc, Nostoc, Leptolyngbya, Chroococcidiopsis and Asterarcys. The relationships between substrates’ specificity of these isolated biofilm organisms and those identified globally were evaluated using maximum parsimony analysis to generate a consensus phylogenetic tree. The five strains of cyanobacteria isolated were closely clustered with cyanobacteria belonging to a tropical region. At the generic level, no relationship between the species and substratum specificity was recorded. The exopolysaccharide analysis of the isolated strains revealed the presence of seven monosaccharides. While glucose was present in all the analysed species, the concentration of either fucose or arabinose was high. The current study presents a novel HPTLC-based method for determination of monosaccharides composition from the extracellular polymeric substances.

Chamaethrix gen. nov. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 0EB03507-C38A-48A1-9740-63D958CFBB9A “Undescribed genus D”— Gaimari 2010: 1006. Type species. Chamaethrix necopina sp. nov., by present designation. Etymology. The prefix Chamae-, in reference to the family Chamaemyiidae, appended with the feminine Greek terminal root -thrix, meaning “hair.” The name refers to the odd conformation of head setae for this genus. Diagnosis. As a monotypic genus, the diagnosis for the genus is identical to that of the single known species. Remarks. The genus is a member of the Leucopini (in the subfamily Chamaemyiinae), as evidenced by such characteristics as the stout and compact body, the absence of postocellar setae, the high setulose lunule, the lack of a presutural dorsocentral seta with dorsocentral setae generally located posteriorly, the presence in males of microtrichiae on the lateral edges of syntergite 1+2 and tergite 3, and the relatively compact form and pattern of furrows of the egg. But at the same time, there are characteristics present that are typical of Chamaemyiini, such as the proclinate ocellar setae (although they are tiny in this new genus), the flat frons descending at an angle from the vertex, and the multiple fronto-orbital setae along the length of the eye margin. This odd mix of chamaemyiine and leucopine characteristics made placement to tribe not straightforward, but the preponderance of evidence points to its inclusion in the Leucopini., Published as part of Gaimari, Stephen D., 2020, Two new genera of Nearctic Chamaemyiidae (Diptera: Lauxanioidea) associated with Cinara aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on Pinus, pp. 61-82 in Zootaxa 4852 (1) on page 62, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4852.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/4408255, {"references":["Gaimari, S. D. (2010) Chamaemyiidae. In: Brown, B. V., Borkent, A., Cumming, J. M., Wood, D. M., Woodley, N. E. & Zumbado, M. (Eds.), Manual of Central American Diptera. Vol. 2. National Research Council Press, Ottawa, pp. 997 - 1007."]}

Two new genera of Chamaemyiidae (Diptera: Lauxanioidea) are described and illustrated, including: Chamaethrix gen. nov. (type species Chamaethrix necopina sp. nov.), possibly a predator of Cinara ponderosae (Williams) on Pinus ponderosa in the southwestern United States; and Vitaleucopis gen. nov. (type species Vitaleucopis nidolkah sp. nov.; other included species Vitaleucopis astonea (McAlpine), comb. nov., and Vitaleucopis scopulus sp. nov.), predators of Cinara aphids and possibly adelgids on Pinaceae in western North America. Immature stages are discussed or described and illustrated for some taxa, including the eggs of Chamaethrix necopina and Vitaleucopis nidolkah; and the third instars and puparia of Vitaleucopis nidolkah.

Chamaethrix necopina sp. nov. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: CEE1D15E-AE26-4807-B7F2-A3436609F6F1 (Figs 1–10) Etymology. From Latin, necopina, meaning “unexpected”, indicating the author’s surprise at finding this interesting taxon. Diagnosis. The body is compact and stout. Postocellar setae are absent, but ocellar setae are tiny, widely separated and proclinate. The frons is flat, and descends at an angle from the vertex, with the lunule above the antennae in the same angled plane. The fronto-orbital area has 5–6 evenly spaced setae along the eye margin. The lunule is high and setulose, curved back to be in the same plane with the frons. The antennae are yellow, except for a darkened spot on the 1st flagellomere anterobasally to the arista and the darkened distal section of the arista. The palpus, prementum and labellum are yellow, with the palpus being spatulate. The scutum is silvery grey pruinose, lacking dorsocentral vittae, and with 3–4 dorsocentral setae in the posterior half of the scutum. Prescutellar setae are absent. The abdominal tergites are mostly silvery grey, but tergite 3 has a pair of darkened pruinose spots. In the male genitalia, the postgonite is absent. Description. Adults, ♂, ♀. Body (Fig. 1) length 2.0– 2.4 mm (♂, 2.0– 2.2 mm; ♀, 2.4 mm); mostly concolorous silvery grey pruinose. Head (Figs 1–3). 1.2–1.4 X higher than long; 1.3–1.4 X wider than high. Vertex with outer vertical seta slightly longer than inner one. Postocellar setae absent. Ocellar triangle equilateral, slightly raised, placed slightly anterior to vertex; lacking setulae. Ocellar setae tiny, proclinate; separated by distance equal to distance between posterior ocelli; originating beside anterior ocellus. Eye 1.2–1.3 X higher than long; height 2.1–2.4 X genal height. Frons 1.5–1.7 X wider than long; with lateral edges only slightly diverging anteriorly, 1.1–1.2 X wider at level of lunule than at level of anterior ocellus; with small, fine, reclinate setulae medially; descending from vertex at angle, with lunule curved up into same plane. Mid frontal vitta slightly depressed, darker grey pruinose than fronto-orbital area and ocellar triangle. Fronto-orbital area with 5–6 evenly spaced setae along eye margin, with each seta shorter than outer vertical seta. Lunule arched, height 0.5–0.6 X frons length; sloping abruptly into plane of frons above antennal base; with small, fine, proclinate setulae in upper part. Antenna yellow except 1st flagellomere with darkened spot anterobasally to arista and distal segment of arista dark; separated by width of antennal socket; 1st flagellomere short, rounded; arista with distal segment 2.8–3.2 X longer than basal. Face and parafacial undifferentiated, whitish pruinose, receding, with deep antennal grooves. Gena whitish pruinose with one strong genal seta in addition to several setulae behind, receding below eye. Clypeus small, exposed. Palpus yellow, spatulate; with several scattered tiny setulae and one slightly larger distal setula. Prementum and labellum yellow. Thorax (Figs 1–2). Scutum 1.2–1.3 X longer than wide; 3.5–3.9 X scutellar length; setulose dorsally (bounded laterally by supra-alar line); dorsocentral vittae absent; color varies to slightly bronzy grey. Prescutellum present. Scutellum 1.5–1.7 X wider than long; color varies to slightly bronzy grey. Chaetotaxy: lacking presutural dorsocentral setae, with 3 or 4 postsutural dorsocentral setae, posterior seta longest, with size decreasing for each one anteriorly, and with anterior-most seta sometimes scarcely distinguishable from scutal setulae; one postpronotal seta, with several smaller setulae; two notopleural setae, in anterior and posterior corners, posterior one slightly smaller; one pre- and one postsutural supra-alar seta; two postalar setae; prescutellar acrostichal seta absent; proepisternum, anepisternum and anepimeron lacking setae; one strong katepisternal seta along upper edge, with 2–3 small setulae anterior to seta; two pairs scutellar setae, subequal in length, posterior pair subparallel but bowed out along length. Legs. Femora greyish pruinose, with distal tip yellow; forefemur thickened. Tibiae yellow, with sparse silvery pruinosity. Tarsi yellow, with distal part of tarsomere 5 slightly darkened. Wing. Length 2.0– 2.6 mm (♂, 2.0– 2.3 mm; ♀, 2.6 mm); 2.8–2.9 X longer than high. Hyaline, with veins brown. Veins R 2+3, R 4+5 and M 1 subparallel in distal half of wing. Crossvein r-m located at halfway point of wing length, and at 2/3 point of cell dm length. Vein Cu extends to wing margin; apical section 1.3–1.6 X longer than crossvein dm-cu. Halter yellow. Abdomen (Figs 4, 9). Tergites uniformly setulose, except setulae slightly enlarged along posterior margin, longest laterally. Syntergite 1+2 and tergite 3 of ♂ each with patch of microtrichiae on lateral edge (cf. fig. 2 of Gaimari et al. 2008). Tergites silvery grey pruinose, except syntergite 1+2 mostly brown pruinose (silvery grey only laterally and along posterior margin), tergites 3–5 with pruinosity bronzy grey anterolaterally, tergite 3 with paired brown spots, and tergites 4 and 5 each with small median black (less pruinose) vitta extending posteriorly through 2/3 length. Sternites 3, 4 and 5 rounded trapezoidal, subequal, with slight emargination on posterior edge of sternite 5. Pregenital segments of male. Tergite and sternite 6 absent. Syntergosternite 7+8 saddle-shaped, less than half length of preceding tergite; sternite 7 small, lightly sclerotized, longer than wide, tapering posteriorly, bare. Male genitalia (Figs 5–8). Epandrium moderately convex posteriorly, with 6–9 setae along posterior part; smoothly tapering into distally pointed surstylar lobe; surstylus with sharpened edge, and distomedially with tiny setulae. Cercus small, with setulae at tip. Hypandrium in dorsal view subequal in length and width, widest in middle, with anterior half thicker than posterior half; in profile, slightly undulating, widest in middle and anteriorly, and abruptly narrower posteriorly. Pregonite articulating with widest point of hypandrium; parallel-sided, with blunt tip; dorsally setulose. Postgonite absent. Phallapodeme boomerang-shaped from lateral view, with the middle wide and tapering to each narrow tip; in ventral view club-shaped at posterior end. Phallus from ventral view widest anteriorly and tapering evenly with straight sides to tip, lateral part an even sclerotized strip with middle area membranous; length 2.5 X width at anterior end; at mid length each side with ventrolaterally directed extensions; thin and slightly undulating from lateral view. Female terminalia (Fig. 9). Tergite 6 about 3.3 X wider than long, length 0.7 X length of tergite 5; sternite 6 slightly enlarged, with width 0.5 X width of tergite 6, about 3 X wider than median length, and slightly wider than sternite 5, with long setulae along posterior edge, slightly emarginated on anterior and posterior edges; tergite 7 entirely membranous; sternite 7 small (half length and about 1/3 width of sternite 6), triangular, setulose on membrane posterior to sternite; tergite 8 subsquare, subequal in width to sternite 7, lightly sclerotized, with several long setulae along posterior margin; sternite 8 absent, entirely membranous, with corresponding setulose patch. Hypoproct tapering evenly to rounded tip. Epiproct subtriangular, with normal cercus bearing uniformly short setulae. Internally, spermathecae 2+2, round. Immatures. Egg (from dissection of ♀) (Fig. 10). Similar to typical leucopine eggs (e.g., Gaimari & Turner 1996), with the following particular characteristics: length 0.58–0.59 mm, width 0.22–0.23 mm; with series of 13–14 longitudinal ridges, rarely anastomosing except at posterior pole, and less so at anterior pole. Type material. Holotype ♂ (point mounted, very good condition; Fig. 1A), deposited in CSCA, with the following labels: “USA: Arizona; Apache Co., Apache Nat’l For., 0.5 km S mi. 249 on US Rte. 191, 8 km S. Alpine, along Coleman Crk.; 2500 m; 33°47’24”N 109°10’01”W, 30 JUN 1995, coll: S.D. Gaimari, ex: sweep Pinus ponderosa ” / “ HOLOTYPUS ♂ Chamaethrix necopina Gaimari ” (red label). Paratypes: USA. ARIZONA. Apache Co., Apache National Forest, nr. Alpine, 33°51’52”N 109°10’18”W, 2440 m, 28.vi.1995, coll: S.D. Gaimari, ex: sweep young Pinus ponderosa (1 ♀ (SDG dissection 1387), CSCA). NEW MEXICO. Lincoln Co., Lincoln National Forest, 2.4 km W Angus, Mills Canyon, along Rio Bonito, 33°27’05”N 105°41’46”W, 2130 m, 18–19.vi.1995, coll: S.D. Gaimari, ex: sweep colonies of Cinara ponderosae on Pinus ponderosa (1 ♂ (SDG dissection #1368), CSCA). Distribution. Known from the southwestern United States (Arizona, New Mexico) in areas above 2100 m elevation. The species probably occurs in at least the intervening and surrounding areas at elevations and places characterized by stands of ponderosa pine. Biology. All known specimens were swept from infestations of Cinara ponderosae (Williams) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in young stands of Pinus ponderosa (e.g., height less than 5 m throughout the large stand), but despite rearing>150 chamaemyiid larvae to adulthood from this host, none were this species. It remains a possibility that this species is a predator in that system, although species of non-aphid-feeding genera (e.g., Chamaemyia Meigen) were also collected in the same sweep samples, presumably going to the aphids to feed on honey dew. Remarks. At two different localities (one in New Mexico and one in Arizona), this species was collected together with Vitaleucopis nidolkah and the adelgid-feeding species Leucopis argenticollis Zetterstedt and Leucopis atrifacies Aldrich., Published as part of Gaimari, Stephen D., 2020, Two new genera of Nearctic Chamaemyiidae (Diptera: Lauxanioidea) associated with Cinara aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on Pinus, pp. 61-82 in Zootaxa 4852 (1) on pages 62-67, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4852.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/4408255, {"references":["Gaimari, S. D., Milonas, P. & Souliotis, C. (2008) Notes on the taxonomy, biology and distribution of Neoleucopis kartliana (Diptera: Chamaemyiidae). Folia Heyrovskyana, Series A, 15 (1) [2007], 7 - 16.","Gaimari, S. D. & Turner, W. J. (1996) Immature stages of Leucopis ninae Tanasijtshuk and two variant populations of Leucopis gaimarii Tanasijtshuk (Diptera: Chamaemyiidae) feeding on Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko) (Homoptera: Aphididae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington, 98, 647 - 666."]}

Cyanobacteria are often reported as abundant components of the sponge microbiome; however their diversity below the phylum level is still underestimated. Aiming to broaden our knowledge of sponge-cyanobacteria association, we isolated cyanobacterial strains from Aegean Sea sponges in previous research, which revealed high degree of novel cyanobacterial diversity. Herein, we aim to further characterize sponge-associated cyanobacteria and re-evaluate their classification based on an extensive polyphasic approach, i.e. a combination of molecular, morphological and ecological data. This approach resulted in the description of five new genera (Rhodoploca, Cymatolege, Metis, Aegeococcus, and Thalassoporum) and seven new species (R. sivonenia, C. spiroidea, C. isodiametrica, M. fasciculata, A. anagnostidisi, A. thureti, T. komareki) inside the order Synechococcales, and a new pleurocapsalean species (Xenococcus spongiosum). X. spongiosum is a baeocyte-producing species that shares some morphological features with other Xenococcus species, but has distinct phylogenetic and ecological identity. Rhodoploca, Cymatolege, Metis and Thalassoporum are novel well supported linages of filamentous cyanobacteria that possess distinct characters compared to their sister taxa. Aegeococcus is a novel monophyletic linage of Synechococcus-like cyanobacteria exhibiting a unique ecology, as sponge-dweller. The considerable number of novel taxa characterized in this study highlights the importance of employing polyphasic culture-dependent approaches in order to reveal the true cyanobacterial diversity associated with sponges.

The prokaryotic filamentous marine cyanobacteria are photosynthetic microbes that are found in diverse marine habitats, ranging from epiphytic to endolithic communities. Their successful colonization in nature is largely attributed to genetic diversity as well as the production of ecologically important natural products. These cyanobacterial natural products are also a source of potential drug leads for the development of therapeutic agents used in the treatment of diseases, such as cancer, parasitic infections and inflammation. Major sources of these biomedically important natural compounds are found predominately from marine cyanobacterial orders Oscillatoriales, Nostocales, Chroococcales and Synechococcales. Moreover, technological advances in genomic and metabolomics approaches, such as mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy, revealed that marine cyanobacteria are a treasure trove of structurally unique natural products. The high potency of a number of natural products are due to their specific interference with validated drug targets, such as proteasomes, proteases, histone deacetylases, microtubules, actin filaments and membrane receptors/channels. In this review, the chemistry and biology of selected potent cyanobacterial compounds as well as their synthetic analogues are presented based on their molecular targets. These molecules are discussed to reflect current research trends in drug discovery from marine cyanobacterial natural products.

Cyanobacteria of the genus Synechococcus are major contributors to global primary productivity and are found in a wide range of aquatic ecosystems. This Synechococcus collective (SC) is metabolically diverse, with some lineages thriving in polar and nutrient-rich locations and others in tropical or riverine waters. Although many studies have discussed the ecology and evolution of the SC, there is a paucity of knowledge on its taxonomic structure. Thus, we present a new taxonomic classification framework for the SC based on recent advances in microbial genomic taxonomy. Phylogenomic analyses of 1085 cyanobacterial genomes demonstrate that organisms classified as Synechococcus are polyphyletic at the order rank. The SC is classified into 15 genera, which are placed into five distinct orders within the phylum Cyanobacteria: (i) Synechococcales (Cyanobium, Inmanicoccus, Lacustricoccus gen. Nov., Parasynechococcus, Pseudosynechococcus, Regnicoccus, Synechospongium gen. nov., Synechococcus and Vulcanococcus); (ii) Cyanobacteriales (Limnothrix); (iii) Leptococcales (Brevicoccus and Leptococcus); (iv) Thermosynechococcales (Stenotopis and Thermosynechococcus) and (v) Neosynechococcales (Neosynechococcus). The newly proposed classification is consistent with habitat distribution patterns (seawater, freshwater, brackish and thermal environments) and reflects the ecological and evolutionary relationships of the SC.

Cyanobacteria are among the most diverse morphological microorganisms that inhabit a great variety of habitats. Their presence in the Azores, a volcanic archipelago of nine islands in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, has already been reported. However, due to the high diversity of cyanobacteria habitats, their biodiversity is still understudied, mainly in extreme environments. To address this, a total of 156 cyanobacteria strains from Azores lakes, streams, thermal and terrestrial habitats were isolated. Identification was made based on a polyphasic approach using classical taxonomy (morphological characteristics and environmental data) and phylogeny among 81 strains assessed by maximum likelihood and Bayesian analysis of 16S rDNA partial sequences. The 156 isolates showed a high genera diversity (38) belonging to the orders Chroococcales, Nostocales, Oscillatoriales, and Synechococcales. Eleven new genera for the Azores habitats are here reported, reinforcing that cyanobacteria biodiversity in these islands is still much understudied. Phylogenetic analysis showed 14 clusters associated with these cyanobacteria orders, with evidence for six new genera and valuable information towards Microchaete/Coleospermum taxonomic revision that better reflects species environmental distribution. These results emphasize the need for cyanobacteria taxonomy revisions, through polyphasic studies, mainly in Synechococcales order and in the Microchaete/Coleospermum, Nostoc, and Anabaena genera. Rita Cordeiro was supported by a Ph.D. grant (M3.1.a/F/017/2015) from the Fundo Regional da Ciência e Tecnologia (FRCT). This work was funded by FEDER funds through the Interreg-MAC 2014-2020 Program under the projects REBECA - Red de excelencia en biotecnología azul (algas) de la región macaronesia (MAC1.1a/060) and REBECA-CCT - Red de Excelencia en Biotecnología Azul de la Región Macaronésica. Consolidación, Certificación y Transferencia (MAC2/1.1b/269), and by Portuguese National Funds, through FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, the European Union, QREN, FEDER, COMPETE, by funding the CIBIO/InBIO (project UID/BIA/ 50027/2013 and POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006821).

Made available in DSpace on 2019-10-04T12:33:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2018-12-01 Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado Rio Grande do Sul Due to the undeniable importance of the role that cyanobacteria play in different ecosystems, and the new discoveries and periodic changes in their taxonomic classification, the main objective of this research was a taxonomic update of the cyanobacteria recorded in an artificial, subtropical freshwater water body. This work also aimed at the knowledge of the geographic distribution and frequency of the species throughout the study period. The analyzed pond (called Basin 7) is located in an environmental preservation area called Braskem Environmental Station (29 degrees 5157.3S and 51 degrees 2154.7W), which is part of the green belt that surrounds the set of companies of the Southern Petrochemical Complex of Rio Grande do Sul state (Brazil). The studied samples were taken from May 2000 to December 2015, using a plankton net (30 mu m), and floating thallus of cyanobacteria were collected directly by hand. Thirty-three species were identified and distributed in the orders Oscillatoriales (14), Synechococcales (12), Chroococcales (6) and Spirulinales (1). Phormidium Kutzing ex Gomont presented the highest species richness, with five species identified, and P. tergestinum (Kutzing) Anagnostidis & Komarek was the one with the highest frequency of occurrence (81.3%). Among the identified species, seven are especially important for being potentially toxic. Eucapsis pseudalpina Komarek & Hindak also stood out for its first recorded occurrence in Brazil, and Ancylothrix rivularis Martins & Branco, Arthrospira jenneri Stizenberger ex Gomont and Pannus cf. brasiliensis Malone et al. for their first recorded occurrence in Rio Grande do Sul state. For each species, diagnoses, basionyms and synonyms when appropriate, illustrations and comments are presented. Fundacao Zoobot Rio Grande do Sul, Museu Ciencias Nat, Rua Dr Salvador Franca 1427, BR-90690000 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil Univ Estadual Paulista, Inst Biociencias Letras & Exatas, Dept Zool & Bot, Rua Cristovao Colombo 2265, BR-15054000 Sao Jose Do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil Univ Estadual Paulista, Inst Biociencias Letras & Exatas, Dept Zool & Bot, Rua Cristovao Colombo 2265, BR-15054000 Sao Jose Do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado Rio Grande do Sul: 0435-2551/15-4