Scherffelia is a genus of green algae in the family Chlorodendraceae.[2] It is widespread in freshwater, brackish, and marine habitats,[1] but is often overlooked due to its small size.[3]
The genus was circumscribed by Adolf A. Pascher in Lotos vol.59 on page 341 in 1911.
The genus name of Scherffelia is in honour of Aladár Scherffel (1865–1938), who was a Hungarian botanist (Algology) and mycologist.[4]
Description
Scherffelia is a unicellular organism. The cells are ovoid or ellipsoid, strongly flattened and sometimes somewhat twisted along their longitudinal axes. The anterior apex has a small depression from which four equal flagella emerge. The cell is surrounded by a wall (termed a theca) composed of fused organic scales, which may be reddish in color. The lateral margins of the theca are winged.[1][5]
Cells contain a single central nucleus and two (rarely three) contractile vacuoles) at the anterior. There are two chloroplasts, which lack pyrenoids. An eyespot (stigma) is usually present.[1][3]
Scherffelia swims while rotating along its longitudinal axis; it travels in a straight line but may abruptly change its direction.[3]
Reproduction
Scherffelia reproduces asexually. The cell contents divide into four within the theca, and become four daughter cells/zoospores. Sexual reproduction has not been observed in Scherffelia.[1]
Species
- Scherffelia bichlora (H.Ettl & O.Ettl) Massjuk & Lilitsk, 2006
- Scherffelia deformis Skuja, 1939
- Scherffelia dubia (Perty) Pascher, 1912
- Scherffelia incisa (Nygaard) Massjuk & Lilitsk, 2006
- Scherffelia pelagica Skuja, 1948
- Scherffelia phacus Pascher, 1912
Former Species;
- S. opisthostigma Skuja, 1948 accepted as Scherffelia dubia
- S. ovata Pascher, 1927 accepted as Scherffelia dubia
References
- ^ a b c d e Guiry, M.D.; Guiry, G.M. “Scherffelia Pascher, 1911″. AlgaeBase. University of Galway. Retrieved 2026-04-16.
- ^ See the NCBI webpage on Scherffelia. Data extracted from the “NCBI taxonomy resources”. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved 2007-03-19.
- ^ a b c Melkonian, Michael; Preisig, Hans Rudolf (1986). “A light and electron microscopic study of Scherffelia dubia, a new member of the scaly green flagellates (Prasinophyceae)”. Nordic Journal of Botany. 6 (2): 235–256. doi:10.1111/j.1756-1051.1986.tb00876.x.
- ^ Burkhardt, Lotte (2022). Eine Enzyklopädie zu eponymischen Pflanzennamen [Encyclopedia of eponymic plant names] (pdf) (in German). Berlin: Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum, Freie Universität Berlin. doi:10.3372/epolist2022. ISBN 978-3-946292-41-8. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
- ^ Nakada, Takashi; Nozaki, Hisayoshi (2014). “Chapter 6. Flagellate Green Algae”. In Wehr, John D.; Sheath, Robert G.; Kociolek, J. Patrick (eds.). Freshwater Algae of North America: Ecology and Classification (2 ed.). Elsevier Inc. pp. 265–313. ISBN 978-0-12-385876-4.
- ^ “Scherffelia Pascher, 1911”. www.marinespecies.org. WoRMS – World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 17 October 2022.