Phylogenetic insights into <i>chroococcus</i>‐like taxa (Chroococcales, Cyanobacteria), describing <i>Cryptochroococcus tibeticus</i> gen. nov. sp. nov. and <i>Limnococcus fonticola</i> sp. nov. from Qinghai‐Tibet plateau
Yilang Wang, Nannan Jia, Ruozhen Geng, Gongliang Yu, Renhui Li
Abstract
Several coccoid cyanobacterial strains, morphologically similar to typical characteristics of Chroococcus, from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau were isolated and characterized using a polyphasic approach including morphological and molecular information. Morphological characteristics, the phylogeny based on 16S rRNA gene, and 16S-23S internal transcribed spacer secondary structures support establishing a novel Chroococcus-like genus, Cryptochroococcus gen. nov., as well as Limnococcus fonticola sp. nov. Limnococcus is phylogenetically included in Chroococcaceae and has irregularly arranged thylakoids. Therefore, it should no longer be a member of Merismopediaceae (Synechococcales). The phylogeny based on the 16S rRNA gene revealed that Chroococcus-associated genera were monophyletic.