New terrestrial cyanobacteria from the Azores Islands: description of Venetifunis gen. nov. and new species of Albertania, Kovacikia and Pegethrix

ABSTRACT

The taxonomy of cyanobacteria has advanced quickly with the use of molecular methods in combination with well-defined morphological and ecological characters. Using this approach, many taxonomical changes have occurred in the Synechococcales and Oscillatoriales, with the description of new families, genera and species. Here we present the study of four cyanobacterial strains from the Bank of Algae and Cyanobacteria of the Azores (BACA) culture collection, all isolated from the Azores Archipelago. The strains were genetically characterized through the amplification of the 16S rRNA gene and 16S-23S rRNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, as well as morphologically by light and transmission electron microscopy. One of the strains presented a high genetic divergence from known genera of Synechococcales and was described as Venetifunis florensis gen. & sp. nov. (Trichocoleusaceae, Cyanobacteria). The remaining three strains were found to be new species of the genera Albertania, Kovacikia and Pegethrix. Venetifunis florensis was isolated from the shores of Lake Rasa in Flores Island, Kovacikia atmophytica sp. nov. is a new species mainly distinguished genetically from other Kovacikia species from Terceira Island. Albertania obscura sp. nov. was isolated from inside a volcanic cave in Terceira Island and is distinct both morphologically and genetically from the already described species. Pegethrix atlantica sp. nov. is a new morphologically and genetically different species isolated from São Miguel Island. The description of these new taxa increases the biogeographic knowledge of the four mentioned cyanobacterial genera to remote oceanic islands and new terrestrial habitats.

KEYWORDS:

• Aerophytic
• Atlantic islands
• Atmophytic
• Venetifunis minimus
• Leptolyngbyaceae
• Oculatellaceae
• Trichocoleusaceae

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We thank the association ‘Os Montanheiros’ for the access to Algar do Carvão.

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/00318884.2023.2259243

Additional information

Funding

Rúben Luz was supported by a Ph.D. grant (M3.1.a/F/002/2020) from the Fundo Regional da Ciência e Tecnologia (FRCT). This work was funded by FEDER funds through the Interreg-MAC 2014-2020 Program under the projects ‘REBECA – Red de excelencia en biotecnología azul (algas) de la región macaronesia (MAC1.1a/060)’ and ‘REBECA-CCT – Red de Excelencia en Biotecnología Azul de la Región Macaronésica. Consolidación, Certificación y Transferencia (MAC2/1.1b/269)’, and by Portuguese National Funds through Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), under the project UIDB/50027/2020. CIIMAR acknowledges funding by FCT through UIDB/04423/2020 and UIDP/04423/2020. JK and JRJ were supported by Project Inter Excellence LTAUSA 18008.