Taxonomy
- Order
- Synechococcales
- Family
- Synechococcaceae
- Genus
- Cyanodictyon
Examples of Cyanodictyon
400X total magnification; 10 μm scale bar. Phase contrast.
Morphology
Colonies roughly spherical or irregularly reticulate (net-like), three-dimensional or flat, sometimes elongated; composed of anastomosing (irregularly overlapping; diverging and reconnecting, in a mesh-like network) mucilage strands; later amorphous, with holes. Cells are arranged within the strands, in one or more rows; mucilage fine and colorless, often diffuse; cells later irregularly arranged. Cells roughly spherical to slightly elongated; up to 4.5 μm in length/diameter; no obvious gas vesicles or other prominent inclusions; pale blue-green, gray, or olive-green in color. Cell division perpendicular to long axis of the cell; daughter cells reach original size/shape before next round of division.
Ecology
Mainly planktic, in oligotrophic to mesotrophic lakes; one species endogloeic in mucilage of Anabaena.
References
- Johansen, J. R., & Komárek, J. (2015). Coccoid Cyanobacteria. In J. D. Wehr, R. G. Sheath, & J. P. Kociolek (Eds.), Freshwater Algae of North America: Ecology and Classification (2nd ed., pp. 91-92). Waltham, MA: Elsevier.
- Komárek, J. & Anagnostidis, K. (2008). Cyanoprokaryota-1. Teil/Part 1: Chroococcales. In H. Ettl, G. Gärtner, H. Heynig, & D. Mollenhauer (Eds.), Süßwasserflora von Mitteleuropa (Vol. 19/1, pp. 57-61). Heidelberg, Germany: Spektrum.