Cyanobacteria Biodiversity (Genus)

Question 1

Dolichospermum CHARACTERISTICS

Answer 1

Microscopic, filamentous.

Question 2

Dolichospermum COLOR

Answer 2

Dark green, dark brown. or pale blue green.

Question 3

Dolichospermum MORPHOLOGY

Answer 3

Spherical/Oval/Barrel shaped cells, HAS heterocytes and akinetes, SHEATH with fine clear mucilage envelope, trichomes solitary or clustered.

Question 4

Dolichospermum HABITATS

Answer 4

Freshwater lakes/ponds, planktic and rarely metaphytic.

Question 5

Dolichospermum FUN FACT

Answer 5

Produces microcystin; creates algal blooms.

Question 6

Gloeotrichia CHARACTERISTICS/COLORS

Answer 6

Olive green, yellow green, brown, dark blue, or blackish.

Question 7

Gloeotrichia MORPHOLOGY

Answer 7

HAS heterocytes and akinetes, HAS aerotopes. Heteropolar trichomes w/ intercalary heterocytes, rarely false branches.

Question 8

Gloeotrichia HABITATS

Answer 8

Freshwater ONLY, planktonic.

Question 9

Gloeotrichia FUN FACT

Answer 9

Water manager, produces microcystin.

Question 10

Aphanothece CHARACTERISTIC/COLORS

Answer 10

Yellow or green, stores glycogen, cell wall has thick layer of peptioglycogen.

Question 11

Aphanothece MORPHOLOGY

Answer 11

No flagella, flatten cells, mucilage forms amorphous colonies.

Question 12

Aphanothece HABITATS

Answer 12

Benthic in standing water, usually becomes floating mats.

Question 13

Aphanothece FUN FACT

Answer 13

Considered sediment mats if formed in the bottom of waterbodies, forms toxic blooms.

Question 14

Aphanizomenon CHARACTERISTICS/COLOR

Answer 14

Possibly has firm sheaths, pale blue green or blue green.

Question 15

Aphanizomenon MORPHOLOGY

Answer 15

Straight & unbranched trichomes, HAS heterocytes (intercalary) & akinetes (between vegatative cells), HAS aerotropes.

Question 16

Aphanizomenon HABITATS

Answer 16

Found in freshwater lakes.

Question 17

Aphanizomenon FUN FACT

Answer 17

Contains neurotoxins, saxitoxin and neosaxitoxin.

Question 18

Nostoc CHARACTERISTICS/COLOR

Answer 18

Yellowish brown to pale/bright blue green or olive green. Stores glycogen.

Question 19

Nostoc MORPHOLOGY

Answer 19

No flagella. HAS heterocytes and akinetes. Membrane contains peptidoglycan, also rich in acid proteins and polysaccarides.

Question 20

Nostoc HABITATS

Answer 20

Marine, freshwater, and terrestrial. Can survive in polar and arid regions.

Question 21

Planktothrix CHARACTERISTICS/COLOR

Answer 21

Reddish pink. No flagella or cell wall.

Question 22

Planktothrix MORPHOLOGY

Answer 22

Unbranced, may form mucilaginous envelope under stressful conditions. NO heterocytes or akinetes.

Question 23

Planktothrix HABITATS

Answer 23

Benthic in freshwater lakes and reservoirs.

Question 24

Planktothrix FUN FACT

Answer 24

Also toxic.

Question 25

Anabaena CHARACTERISTICS/COLOR

Answer 25

Has cell wall, can fix nitrogen, and produces neurotoxin.

Question 26

Anabaena MORPHOLOGY

Answer 26

Straight/curved/coiled trichome, looks like a string of beads. HAS heterocyte (yellow green) & akinete.

Question 27

Anabaena HABITATS

Answer 27

Terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Question 28

Anabaena FUN FACT

Answer 28

Full of toxins; blooms more common in warm water.

Question 29

Microcoleus CHARACTERISTICS/COLOR

Answer 29

No cell wall, blue green, stores glycogen.

Question 30

Microcoleus MORPHOLOGY

Answer 30

NO heterocytes & akinetes, colony of multiple trichomes sharing a common sheath. Also has necridia.

Question 31

Microcoleus HABITATS

Answer 31

Salt marshes, marine, lagoons, lakes, and terrestrial.

Question 32

Microcoleus FUN FACT

Answer 32

Adds stability to soil, produces toxins (microcystin and anatoxin), can switch between oxygenic and anaoxygenic photosynthesis.

Question 33

Cylindrospermum CHARACTERISTICS/COLOR

Answer 33

Pale blue green, thick cell walls w/ peptidoglycan, stores glycogen.

Question 34

Cylindrospermum MORPHOLOGY

Answer 34

HAS heterocytes & akinetes, filaments can be straight/coiled/solitary.

Question 35

Cylindrospermum HABITATS

Answer 35

Tropical species but found in US temperate lakes.

Question 36

Cylindrospermum FUN FACT

Answer 36

Produces cylindrospermopsin, forms blooms.

Question 37

Spirulina CHARACTERTISTICS/COLOR

Answer 37

Looks green to me chief, stores glycogen/polyglycan/polyphosphate/cyanophycin. Has aerotropes and cell wall.

Question 38

Spirulina MORPHOLOGY

Answer 38

Unbranched filaments with variable coils from tight to loose.

Question 39

Spirulina HABITATS

Answer 39

Freshwater lakes, mineral springs, and brackish waters.

Question 40

Spirulina FUN FACT

Answer 40

Very nutritious, found in many medicines and cosmetics. One of the first photosynthetic life forms to help create oxygen atmosphere.