Chemotaxonomy of the Oscillatoria-Phormidium complex

Abstract

Five species of Phormidium and eight species of Oscillatoria were compared in terms of carotenoids, biliproteins, protein profiles and α-esterases, leucine aminopeptidase and phosphatase zymograms. The data from protein profiles and α-esterase zymograms support morphological criteria in recognizing four groups of conspecific taxa: O. tenuis, O. amoena, and O. animalis; O. chalybea and O. formosa; P. foveolarum and P. luridum var. olivacea; and P. persicinum and P. ectocarpii. Problems of Cyanophycean taxonomy are considered in terms of biochemical adjuncts to conventional criteria in characterizing and distinguishing species.