Colonies of cells enclosed in a mucilaginous sheath

page in preparation

spherical/elliptical mucilage sheaths  
(a) with flagella or pseudocilia      
(i) pseudocilia
(non-motile hair-like appendages)
     

Apiocystis brauniana
FAFBI p. 299 plate 76

Cells around the periphery of a sac-like mucilaginous envelope, attached at one end. Pseudocilia project through the mucilage

Tetraspora
FAFBI p. 303 plate 76

   
(ii) flagella: motile appendages which make the colony motile      
Eudorina
FAFBI p. 317 plate 81
each cell has a pair of flagella; cells spaced out from each other
Pandorina
FAFBI p. 320 plate 81
each cell has a pair of flagella; cells tightly packed together; angular from mutual compression
(Lugol's)
 
(b) without flagella or pseudocilia      
  (i) Cyanobacteria: cells with chlorophyll not enclosed in a chloroplast (not always easy to see)
Coelosphaerium
FAFBI p.42 plate 5
Colony spherical or subspherical, the cells grouped around the outside forming a hollow ball    
Woronichinia
FAFBI p.58 plate 5

Similar to Coelosphaerium but cells are somewhat elongate, at the end of radiating stalks 

 
Snowella
FAFBI p.56 plate 4
     
Chroococcus
FAFBI p.40 plate 3

Cells in pairs or multiples of 2, somewhat flattened where the cells are in close contact (sometimes with concentrically striated mucilage). 
     
C. limneticus
Eucapsis
FAFBI p.45 plate 5
Cells in groups of multiples of 4 in more or less cubical arrangement   
Merismopedia
FAFBI p.51 plate 3
Cells in groups of 4 or multiples of 4, forming a flat (or sometimes rolled) plate.  
Nostoc
FAFBI p.105 plate 18
Clusters of filaments in a firm mucilaginous envelope. The cells are spherical with occasional heterocysts (rather similar to Anabaena)
         
(ii) cells with chloroplasts, in groups within a concentrically layered mucilage  
?Gloeocystis
 
FAFBI p. 356 plate 86
 
         
Asterococcus
FAFBI p.299 plate 76
Cells spherical or subspherical, with stellate chloroplast. Mucilage envelope wider than cell.
 
       
 
Non-lamellate mucilage, cells 10-25µm =
A. limneticus
 
Lamellate mucilage, cells 30-43µm =
A. superbus

     
     

?Oonephris
FAFBI p.375 plate 92

 
Schizochlamydella
FAFBI p.398 plate 86
       
Westella
FAFBI p.408 plate 84
 
?Oocystis
FAFBI p.372 plate 92

?Oocystis borgei
   
?Coenococcus polycoccus
FAFBI p. 343 plate 86
   
     
?Nephrocytium limneticum
FAFBI p.371 plate 83
   
?Coelastrum sphaericum
FAFBI p.342 plate 83
   
Unknown species to match
   
?Chlamydocapsa
FAFBI p.300: dubious genus, not illustrated (may be identical to Chlamydomonas palmelloid stage)
     
Chlamydomonas palmelloid stage
FAFBI p.308 plate 77
       
?Coenocystis obtusa
FAFBI p.343 plate 86
     
Sphaerocystis
FAFBI p.402 plate 86
   
?Sphaerocystis
FAFBI p.402 plate 99
   
Cosmocladium saxonicum
FAFBI p.550 plate 143
Glaucocystis
FAFBI p.613 plate 1
     
?Dichotomococcus
FAFBI p.347 plate 84
       
?Tetrastrum
FAFBI p.406 plate 94
     
Crucigenia
FAFBI p.344 plate 84
     
Crucigeniella
FAFBI p.406 plate 84
     
Quadrigula closterioides
FAFBI p.382 plate 98
   
?Rayssiella
Not present in FAFBI;
ID from Prescott
     
         
?Palmodictyon
FAFBI p.375 plate 99
colonial Chlorophyte: spherical cells in branching tubes of mucilage, with cup-shaped chloroplast  
?Paulschulzia
FAFBI p.300 plate 76
colonial Chlorophyte:cells/cell groups in clearly defined spherical mucilage envelope, with individual sheaths and flagellum extending beyond outer envelope  
?Phaeosphaeria
FAFBI p.234 plate 62
     
?Radiococcus
FAFBI p.383 plate 86
     
Sheath not spherical        
Raphidocelis
(Kirchneriella
)
FAFBI p.383 plates 83, 98
     
Schizochlamydella
FAFBI p.398 plate 86
       
Westella
FAFBI p.408 plate 84
 
         
Mesotaenium
FAFBI p.511 plate 128
     
         
         
         

       

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John Kinross