Morphology and reproduction of Synura lapponica (Synurophyceae)

Abstract

M. Goldstein, J. McLachlan and J. Moore. 2005. Morphology and reproduction of Synura lapponica (Synurophyceae). Phycologia 44: 566–571.

Observations with both light and electron microscopy on populations of Synura lapponica from three oligotrophic bodies of water in the region of Victoria, British Columbia, provide the first detailed description of the morphology and reproduction of the species, and the first record of the species in Canada. In typical colonies the radially organised cells were attached to a central ‘hub’ and enclosed in a colonial envelope. Embedded in the peripheral matrix of this envelope was a colonial scale case composed of a multiple layer of biradially symmetrical plate-scales. Imbricate scale cases were absent. Colony fission, colonies exhibiting cellular dimorphism, palmelloid reproductive colonies, and ‘halo’ colonies are described for the first time. The results of this study expand the current knowledge of the species, and describe several morphological features that support the affinity between S. lapponica and Tessellaria volvocina (Synurophyceae).

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank the following people from the Biology Department, University of Victoria: Blake Matthews and Marg Deagle from the Environmental Management of Drinking Water Group for collections of S. lapponica, David Lye and Brent Gowen for their valuable help in the EM Laboratory, Tom Gore and Heather Down for their help in the Advanced Imaging Laboratory, and Dr Job Kuijt for translation assistance. From the Water Department, CRD, we thank Stewart Irwin for providing funds and laboratory space, Don Ferster for the collection of plankton tows, and Maria Roxborough for technical assistance. Thanks also to Carolyn Bird for her editorial comments and taxonomic suggestion for the manuscript.