Prasiola crispa
"Prasiola crispa" found in central Queen Maud Land, Antarctica
Prasiola crispa found in central Queen Maud Land, Antarctica
Scientific classification Edit this classification
(unranked): Viridiplantae
Division: Chlorophyta
Class: Trebouxiophyceae
Order: Prasiolales
Family: Prasiolaceae
Genus: Prasiola
Species:
P. crispa
Binomial name
Prasiola crispa
(Lightfoot) Kützing 1843
Synonyms[1]
List
    • Ulva crispaLightfoot 1777
    • Ulva terrestris Roth 1797
    • Schizogonium crispatum Kützing 1843
    • Schizogonium parietinum Kützing 1843
    • Hormidium parietinum (Kützing) Kützing 1845
    • Prasiola rothii Kützing 1845
    • Prasiola orbicularis Kützing 1845
    • Prasiola antarctica Kützing 1849
    • Schizogonium laetevirens var. crispatum (Kützing) Kützing 1849
    • Prasiola rothii var. falklandica Kützing 1849
    • Prasiola falklandica (Kützing) Kützing 1855
    • Prasiola georgica Reinsch 1890
    • Prasiola crispa subsp. terrestris Børgesen 1902
    • Prasiola crispa var. aspera West & G.S.West 1911
    • Prasiola crispa subsp. antarctica (Kützing) Knebel 1935
    • Mastodia antarctica (Kützing) C.W.Dodge 1948

Prasiola crispa is a small terrestrial green alga. It has been recorded world-wide mostly from cold-temperate to polar regions.

Taxonomy

The species, first described as Ulva crispa Lightfoot, is the type of the genus Prasiola.[1] A lectotype was nominated for the species, the type location of which was provided in accompanying notation as walls that faced north and were favoured as urinals.[1]

The specific epithet is said to translate as "crisped", a reference to the irregular convolutions of the species.[1]

Description

This is a small green alga growing to about 6 cm long. The frond is round in shape, flattened. Generally one cell thick, the cells are arranged in rows or in groups of four.[2][3]

It seems to be an important food source for Antarctic collembolans.[4]: 272 

The species has been used a model for the study of the effects of high intensities of UV radiation on photosynthesis.[4]: 181 

Reproduction

Reproduction is by akinetes and aplanospores.[2]

Distribution

Recorded world-wide mostly from cold-temperate to polar regions,[1] e.g. from Iceland,[5] the British Isles including the Isle of Man, New Zealand, Japan and the Pacific shores of North America.[1][2] In Antarctica, the species lives near penguin colonies.[4]: 593 

Conservation status

In Iceland, it is red listed as a vulnerable species (VU).[5]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Prasiola crispa (Lightfoot) Kützing :: Algaebase". www.algaebase.org. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 Burrows. E.M.1991. Seaweeds of the British Isles Volume 2 Chlorophyta. Natural History Museum Publications ISBN 0-565-00981-8
  3. ↑ Bunker, F.StP.D., Brodie, J.A., Maggs, C.A. and Bunker, A.R.2017. Seaweeds of Britain and Ireland. Second Edition. Wild Nature Press, Plymouth, UK.ISBN 978-0-9955673-3-7
  4. 1 2 3 Seckbach, Joseph (2007-09-18). Algae and Cyanobacteria in Extreme Environments. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 978-1-4020-6112-7.
  5. 1 2 Náttúrufræðistofnun Íslands [Icelandic Institute of Natural History] (1996). Válisti 1: Plöntur. (in Icelandic) Reykjavík: Náttúrufræðistofnun Íslands.
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