Jacksonvillea apiculata (Oscillatoriales, Cyanobacteria) gen. & sp. nov.: a new genus of filamentous, epipsamic cyanobacteria from North Florida

Abstract

:Two strains of an unusual, filamentous, Geitlerinema-like cyanobacterium inhabiting sandy sediments in Lake Oneida (Jacksonville, Florida) were isolated. These strains possessed a unique combination of specific morphological and molecular characters that enable the establishment of a new monospecific genus on the basis of the type species Jacksonvillea apiculata sp. nov. named in honor of the city of Jacksonville. Morphologically, the species differed from Geitlerinema splendidum and other representatives of the genus Geitlerinema by the presence of spherical structures in the cell walls at cross-walls. Similarly, sequences of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene were below the currently accepted similarity for inclusion into the same genus (i.e. 86% sequence similarity), and were most similar to Desertifilum (88%). To acknowledge the high difference of the Jacksonvillea–Desertifilum clade from members of the family Coleofasciculaceae, we established the new family Desertifilaceae fam. nov., which formed a poorly supported sister clade to some unclear Geitlerinema such the black-band disease strains.