Lagerheimia is a genus of green algae in the family Oocystaceae.[2] It is commonly found in freshwater habitats all over the world,[3] although some species are rare and have only been recorded from Europe or the United States.[4]
Lagerheimia consists of solitary cells. Cells are spherical, ellipsoidal, ovoid, polyhedral, or citriform (lemon-shaped), with one to several spines at the poles; some species also have spines at the equators. A layer of mucilage around the cell may be present. Cells contain a parietal chloroplast with one pyrenoid.[4]
Species identification is based on the shape of the cells, placement and length of the spines, and presence or absence of tubercles at the base of the spines.[4] Species with tubercles at the base of their spines have been classified in a separate genus, called Chodatella; however, modern authors do not recognize this split.[4][6] The genus is similar to Franceia, which has spines distributed all over the cell surface.[4] It may also be confused with single-celled forms of Desmodesmus, a genus that usually has coenobia of four or eight cells.[7]
Reproduction
Lagerheimia reproduces asexually by zoospores or autospores. Zoospores have two flagella. When reproducing with autospores, 2, 4, or 8 are formed within the mother cell and are released when the mother cell wall ruptures. Reports of sexual reproduction have not been confirmed.[4]
Because Lagerheimia appears similar to one-celled forms of Desmodesmus, some authors have doubted the validity of this genus.[3] However, Lagerheimia strains are phylogenetically placed within the class Trebouxiophyceae.[8] In its current circumscription, Lagerheimia is polyphyletic: some species are more closely related to Franceia than to other Lagerheimia species.[8]
12Bicudo, Carlos E. M.; Menezes, Mariângela (2006). Gêneros de Algas de Águas Continentais do Brasil: chave para identificação e descrições (2ed.). RiMa Editora. p.508. ISBN857656064X.
12Štenclová, Lenka; Fučíková, Karolina; Kaštovský, Jan; Pažoutová, Marie (2017). "Molecular and morphological delimitation and generic classification of the family Oocystaceae (Trebouxiophyceae, Chlorophyta)". Journal of Phycology. 53 (6): 1263–1282. Bibcode:2017JPcgy..53.1263S. doi:10.1111/jpy.12581. PMID28833138. S2CID21278460.
