title: Species concept and nomenclatural changes within the genera Elliptochloris and Pseudochlorella (Trebouxiophyceae) based on an integrative approach.
abstract: The genera Elliptochloris and Pseudochlorella were erected for Chlorella-like green algae producing two types of autospores and cell packages, respectively. Both genera are widely distributed in different soil habitats, either as free living or as photobionts of lichens. The species of these genera are often difficult to identify because of the high phenotypic plasticity and occasional lack of characteristic features. The taxonomic and nomenclatural status of these species, therefore, remains unclear. In this study, 34 strains were investigated using an integrative approach. Phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that the isolates belong to two independent lineages of the Trebouxiophyceae (Elliptochloris and Prasiola clades) and confirmed that the genera are not closely related. The comparison of morphology, molecular phylogeny, and analyses of secondary structures of SSU and ITS rDNA sequences revealed that all of the strains belong to three genera: Elliptochloris, Pseudochlorella, and Edaphochlorella. As a consequence of the taxonomic revisions, we propose two new combinations (Elliptochloris antarctica and Pseudochlorella signiensis) and validate Elliptochloris reniformis, which is invalidly described according to the International Code for Nomenclature (ICN), by designating a holotype. To reflect the high phenotypic plasticity of P. signiensis, two new varieties were described: P. signiensis var. magna and P. signiensis var. communis. Chlorella mirabilis was not closely related to any of these genera and was, therefore, transferred to the new genus Edaphochlorella. All of the taxonomic changes were highly supported by all phylogenetic analyses and were confirmed by the ITS-2 Barcodes using the ITS-2/CBC approach.
authors.affiliation: M.G. Kholodny Institute of Botany, National Academy Science of Ukraine, Kyiv, 01601, Ukraine.|Experimental Phycology and Culture Collection of Algae, University of Göttingen, D-37073, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Tatyana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Darienko
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Ecology and Phycology, University of Rostock, D-18059, Rostock, Germany.
authors.forename: Lydia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gustavs
authors.affiliation: Department of Limnology and Biooceanography, University of Vienna, A-1090, Vienna, Austria.|Department of Botany, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pröschold
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D000460:Chlorophyta / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D058893:DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic; D048028:DNA, Algal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D048028:DNA, Algal; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer
keywords: 
  Chlorella
  ; 
  Edaphochlorella
  ; 
  Elliptochloris
  ; 
  Pseudochlorella
  ; DNA Barcoding; integrative taxonomy