Elongatocystis
Elongatocystis
Genus of green algae
Elongatocystis is an autotrophic green alga in the Oocystaceae family that is defined by its elongated type cell. This genus was discovered in a rockpool at Belvedere River, Mpumalanga, South Africa and described by Krienitz and Bock in 2011 along with two other strains of Oocystaceae. Its discovery and genetic analysis determined that Oocystis ecballocystiformis should be removed. In its place, the genus Elongatocystis was proposed to more accurately represent the phylogenetic tree.[1]
Morphologically, the cells of Elongatocystis are elongated and occasionally bent-shaped. It is surrounded by a mucilaginous envelope and has smooth cell walls that are uniform in thickness. Elongatocystis is known to possess around 1 to 4 chloroplasts in each cell, which commonly results in some thickening in the central region where it may interconnect with other chloroplasts. The vegetative cells, or actively growing cells, are approximately 8–16 × 3–8 μm in size and reproduce asexually through autosporulation. Elongatocystis cells exhibiting the bent boomerang shape are observed with divided nuclei and chloroplasts suggesting that its morphology aids in the division process.[1]
Elongatocystis is closely related to Ecballocystis, through 18S rDNA phylogeny, which is also a part of the Oocystaceae family.[2] Additionally, the elongated shape of its cell could be attributed to a deformation or its relation to the genus Planctonema which could have further implications for the Oocystaceae.[1]