Gloeocapsa acervata
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Authority
Gardner, Nathaniel L. 1927. New Myxophyceae from Porto Rico. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 7: 1-144. pl. 1-23.
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Family
Microcystaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Families very variable as to the number of cells they contain as well as to their shape and size, having up to 256, probably even more cells, spherical to slightly elongated and lobular, piled together in heaps, adhering by their very soft, gelatinous walls and forming a continuous stratum; cells spherical, 0.9-1.3 µ diam., bright aeruginous, regularly arranged in the young families, or colonies, soon arranging themselves in no definite order in the older families; tegument hyaline or almost transparent in the younger colonies, changing to honey-color, or later to dark brown, homogeneous throughout the colony.
Distribution and Ecology - Growing on limestone between Hatillo and Arecibo, no. 1390, type, and no. 1393; near Hato Arriba, Arecibo, no. 1425.
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Discussion
It is questionable as to whether the above newly described organism should be considered as belonging to the genus Gloeocapsa or to the genus Anacystis. It is a borderline species. In its very youngest stages, it conforms to the Gloeocapsa method of development. The colonies of two, four, and eight are more or less angular, the cells are symmetrically arranged, and in some cases a slight stratification of the tegument may be seen. The colonies soon become spherical, the cells are promiscuously arranged, and with no indication of stratification of the tegument. They then resemble typical members of the genus Anacystis. Their teguments are sticky, and the growing colonies become agglutinated into masses with lobular surfaces, in this stage superficially resembling Microcystis ichthyoblabe Kuetz. There seems to be no especially visible modification of the cells to form resting spores at the end of the life cycle. The teguments finally seem to become completely confluent, and the cells, probably after a period of rest, begin actively to divide and new colonies are formed in position. This seems to be a typical Gloeocapsa characteristic, and for this reason I have placed the material under that genus.