Alpine Scenedesmaceae from New Zealand: new taxonomy

Cultures from samples collected from the alpine zone in Canyon Creek, Canterbury, New Zealand, revealed three taxa belonging to Scenedesmaceae. Identifications were made based on morphological data (light microscopy and transmission and scanning electron microscopy) and sequences of 18S ribosomal DNA. Desmodesmus abundans is a commonly recorded species worldwide and in New Zealand, but Desmodesmus granulatus is a new record for this country. Coelastrella multistriata var. grandicosta is described as new to science. Cryptodesmus ellipsoideus, previously isolated from the alpine zone at Arthur's Pass, is transferred to Coelastrella ellipsoidea on the basis of new ultrastructural and molecular information. Analysis of 18S ribosomal DNA in Coelastrella indicates likely intragenomic recombination and possible horizontal transfer of introns between taxa in this genus. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:2D9CA9F7-72DE-462B-8201-2725F4F9C91F