Revealing the Diversity of Thin Filamentous Cyanobacteria, with the Discovery of a Novel Species, <i>Pegethrix qiandaoensis</i> sp. nov. (Oculatellaceae, Oculatellales), in a Freshwater Lake in China
Kaihui Gao,
Yao Cheng,
Rouzhen Geng,
Peng Xiao,
He Zhang,
Zhixu Wu,
Fangfang Cai,
Renhui Li
Affiliations
Kaihui Gao
Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Subtropical Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
Yao Cheng
College of Life Sciences and Technology, Harbin Normal University, Harbin 150025, China
Rouzhen Geng
Research Center for Monitoring and Environmental Sciences, Taihu Basin & East China Sea Ecological Environment Supervision and Administration Authority, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China, Shanghai 200125, China
Peng Xiao
Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Subtropical Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
He Zhang
Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Subtropical Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
Zhixu Wu
Hangzhou Bureau of Ecology and Environment Chun’an Branch, Hangzhou 311700, China
Fangfang Cai
Hubei Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan 430023, China
Renhui Li
Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Subtropical Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
During the study of diversity in filamentous cyanobacteria in China, two strains (WZU0719 and WZU0723) with the form of thin filaments were isolated from the surface of Qiandao Lake, a large freshwater lake in Zhejiang Province, China. A comprehensive analysis was conducted, incorporating morphological, ecological, and molecular data. The morphological examination provided an initial identification as a Leptolyngbya-like cyanobacterium. Genetic characterization was also performed by amplifying the 16S rRNA gene and the 16S-23S rRNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. The phylogenetic grouping based on the 16S rRNA gene demonstrates that the examined strain is unequivocally assigned to the Pegethrix genus. However, it possesses distinct phylogenetic divergence from the six described Pegethrix species. Additionally, discrepancies in habitat further differentiate it from other members of this genus. Employing the polyphasic approach, we present a comprehensive account of the newly discovered taxa: Pegethrix qiandaoensis sp. nov. The novel taxonomic finding in this research significantly contributes to enhancing the comprehension of Pegethrix diversity across various habitats.
