| Abstract: | We examined the relationships of autosporic and zoosporic taxa in the Chlorococcales by analyzing available complete nuclear-encoded small-subunit (18S) rRNA gene sequences along with two new sequences from Hydrodictyon reticulatum (L.) Lagerh. and Neochloris vigenis Archibald. Some autosporic taxa grouped with the coenobial hydrodictyacean algae and related unicellular organisms having directly opposed basal bodies. These include Scenedesmus obliquus (Turp.) Kütz. and Chlorella fusca var. vacuolata Shihira et Krauss. Other autosporic organisms, including Chlorella kessleri Fott et Novakova, C. minutissima Fott et Novakova, C. pro-tothecoides Krug., C. vulgaris Beij., Nanochlorum eucaryotum Wilhelm, Eisenbeis, Wild, et Zahn, and Prototheca wickerhamii Soneda et Tubaki, form a separate group. Of the zoosporic taxa examined, this group would appear to have the greatest affinity to organisms having a counterclockwise displacement of basal bodies, the Pleurastrophyceae. Beyond the fact that Ankistrodesmus stipitatus (=A. falcatus var. stipitatus (Chodat) Lemm.) does not group with the latter organisms, its position remains in doubt. None of the autosporic taxa appear to be closely related to chlorophycean organisms possessing a clockwise basal body displacement. |
