Life history, development and karyology of Klebsormidium nitens (Klebsormidiales, Charophyta)

Abstract

This research is focused on the study of Klebsormidium nitens vegetative and reproductive cells. The following aspects have been considered for the identification of this species, which is a new record for Argentina: morphological characters, growth habits, aperture of zoosporangial cells, zoospore germination patterns and types of reproduction. As regards its life cycle, vegetative multiplication through an easy fragmentation of the thallus into short filaments was the prevailing mode of
reproduction. Under adverse conditions, false (or pseudo) branches were formed from which new filaments were born. Asexual reproduction was induced “in vitro”. Biflagellate zoospores with subapically inserted flagella came out from a pore in the lateral wall of sporangial cells. After swimming
for a few minutes, zoospores withdrew the flagella, and germination was strictly unipolar. The basal cell presented a rudimentary holdfast with a fine mucilaginous attaching disc. After successive mitosis and cytokinesis a filament was formed which became planctonic after an eight-celled stage. The absence of a holdfast has so far been considered a diagnostic character of the genus, and for this reason the reconsideration of this feature at the generic level has been proposed. Sexual reproduction was not observed. The chromosome number found in K. nitens was n=6. A comparison among chromosome
number, nucleus size and filament width with other species of Klebsormidium suggests a basic chromosome number x=6 and polyploidy as one of the processes involved in the evolution of
Klebsormidium species.