title: A UNIQUE PSEUDANABAENALEAN (CYANOBACTERIA) GENUS NODOSILINEA GEN. NOV. BASED ON MORPHOLOGICAL AND MOLECULAR DATA(1).
abstract: The cyanobacteria are a diverse, ancient lineage of oxygenic, phototrophic bacteria. Ubiquitous in nearly all ecosystems, the alpha-level diversity of these organisms lags behind other algal lineages due to a perceived dearth of phylogenetically useful characters. Recent phylogenetic studies of species within the genus Leptolyngbya have demonstrated that this is a polyphyletic assemblage. One group of strains that fits within the current circumscription of Leptolyngbya is genetically and phylogenetically distinct from Leptolyngbya sensu stricto. Members of this clade possess both a morphological synapomorphy and shared 16S-23S internal transcribed spacer (ITS) secondary structure, allowing the diagnosis of the new cyanobacterial genus Nodosilinea. Members of this genus are united by the unique ability to form nodules along the length of the filament. This trait has been previously observed only in the species Leptolyngbya nodulosa Z. Li et J. Brand, and we have chosen this species as the generitype of Nodosilinea. We currently recognize four species in the genus, N. nodulosa (Z. Li et J. Brand) comb. nov., N. bijugata (Kong.) comb. nov., N. conica sp. nov., and N. epilithica sp. nov.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida 32250, USADepartment of Biology, John Carroll University, University Heights, Ohio 45701, USADepartment of Botany, Comenius University, Bratislavia, Slovak RepublicSchool of Biological Sciences, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78705, USAFaculty of Biological Sciences, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, the Czech RepublicDepartment of Biology, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida 32250, USA.
authors.forename: Ralph B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Perkerson Iii
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida 32250, USADepartment of Biology, John Carroll University, University Heights, Ohio 45701, USADepartment of Botany, Comenius University, Bratislavia, Slovak RepublicSchool of Biological Sciences, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78705, USAFaculty of Biological Sciences, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, the Czech RepublicDepartment of Biology, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida 32250, USA.
authors.forename: Jeffrey R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Johansen
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida 32250, USADepartment of Biology, John Carroll University, University Heights, Ohio 45701, USADepartment of Botany, Comenius University, Bratislavia, Slovak RepublicSchool of Biological Sciences, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78705, USAFaculty of Biological Sciences, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, the Czech RepublicDepartment of Biology, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida 32250, USA.
authors.forename: Lubomir
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kovácik
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida 32250, USADepartment of Biology, John Carroll University, University Heights, Ohio 45701, USADepartment of Botany, Comenius University, Bratislavia, Slovak RepublicSchool of Biological Sciences, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78705, USAFaculty of Biological Sciences, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, the Czech RepublicDepartment of Biology, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida 32250, USA.
authors.forename: Jerry
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brand
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida 32250, USADepartment of Biology, John Carroll University, University Heights, Ohio 45701, USADepartment of Botany, Comenius University, Bratislavia, Slovak RepublicSchool of Biological Sciences, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78705, USAFaculty of Biological Sciences, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, the Czech RepublicDepartment of Biology, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida 32250, USA.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kaštovský
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida 32250, USADepartment of Biology, John Carroll University, University Heights, Ohio 45701, USADepartment of Botany, Comenius University, Bratislavia, Slovak RepublicSchool of Biological Sciences, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78705, USAFaculty of Biological Sciences, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, the Czech RepublicDepartment of Biology, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida 32250, USA.
authors.forename: Dale A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Casamatta
keywords: 16S rRNA; 16S-23S ITS; Halomicronema; Leptolyngbya; Nodosilinea; Pseudanabaenales; cyanobacteria; rRNA secondary structure; systematics; taxonomy