Abstract

MONTOYA T, Haydee et al. Phenotypic variability of the cyanobacterium Brasilonema (Nostocales, Scytonemataceae) of aerophytic community, new record for Peru. Arnaldoa [online]. 2019, vol.26, n.2, pp.643-656. ISSN 1815-8242.  http://dx.doi.org/10.22497/arnaldoa.261.26208.

Tropical terrestrial ecosystems have diverse habitats such as the aerophytic communities in the Central Highlands of Peru (3200 m of altitude) at Huancahuasi town, department of Lima, in the western region of South America. We made cyanobacterial collections of aerophytic and subaerophytic communities with gelatinous biofilms which colonized substrates with carbonates and iron cumulations from thermal water effluents with thermogradients between 35 and 40 °C and pH 6.0-6.5. Phenotypic variability in the filaments of the Andean morphospecies of Brasilonema with its morphological and functional differentiation (trichome constriction, celular dimensions, sheath structure and thickness, hormogonia) showed its potential as criptic species. This genus with the Brasilonema cf. tolantongense species is a new record for our country. Phenotypic plasticity of this species with diversity of morphotypes with sheath and calyptra protectors, branches and hormogonia are life and ecological strategies for its dispersion in aerophytic extremophile habitats for successful colonization.

Keywords : aerophytic; biofilms; culture; morphotypes; criptic species.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )