The Biologist

ISSN Versión Impresa 1816-0719

ISSN Versión en linea 1994-9073 ISSN Versión CD ROM 1994-9081

ORIGINAL ARTICLE /ARTÍCULO ORIGINAL

A NOMENCLATURAL AND CULTURAL NOTE ON CHLORELLA PERUVIANA G.

CHACÓN AND OTHER SPECIES OF THE GENUS CHLORELLA BEIJ.

(CHLORELLACEAE, CHLORELLALES)

2 “Augusto Weberbauer” Herbarium. Department of Biology. Faculty of Sciences. Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina.

On the course of our investigations on the culture of Chlorella peruviana G. Chacón, it became

apparent that some nomenclatural changes were necessary within the genus. Here, we present

those changes: transfer of C. pyrenoidosa H. Chick to Auxenochlorella as A. pyrenoidosa (H.

Chick) Molinari & Calvo-Pérez comb. nov.; the replacement name C. gloriae Molinari nom. nov.

pyrenoidosa (H. Chick) Molinari & Calvo-Pérez comb. nov.; el nombre de remplazo C. gloriae

Molinari nom nov. para C. salina Butcher, y la lectotipificación de C. peruviana G. Chacón.

Finalmente, el medio líquido Calderón para algas marinas es validado para el cultivo de esta

última especie.

RESUMEN

After unsuccessful research, we stumbled

upon a hard-to-find article (Chacón-Roldán

1980a) describing the medicinal properties of

the same lagoon we were working with. There,

leaded us to the actual description of the alga,

by the same author, as Chlorella peruviana G.

Chacón, in the same year (Chacón-Roldán

Once we had the identity, we contacted the

author, who provided us with specimens of

some Chlorellae, now deposited in the MOL

herbarium. With the new material, we

of Shihira & Krauss, 1965); and Chlorella

salina Butcher, 1952), a poorly known species

whose name is a later homonym of C. salina

(Chick 1903, Kufferath 1919, Butcher 1952,

Shira & Krauss 1965) .

Samples were taken from the “Milagrosa”

salty lagoon, in Chilca, on October 25, 2012. In

addition, measurements of temperature, pH,

salinity and oxygen were taken. For the

culture, we used a modified medium for

“cages” of wood frames and sides of plastic

net, in order to diminish the solar radiation to a

half. The evaluation of the culture was made

two weeks after the inoculation at the Vegetal

Physiology lab of La Molina University.

Additionally, we practiced a culture of C.

pyrenoidosa in the same medium, without salt,

thus providing a fresh-water environment.

Two recipients with the same characteristics

previously stated were inoculated with 1 g of

lyophilised microalgae. The same treatment

was followed. However, the potassium nitrate,

used as a nitrogen source, was replaced by

powdered peptones in one of the recipients, in

The culture was completely successful, with

high cellular density; proving that the Calderón

medium can be used for the extensive culture

of hyper-saline species for scientific and

commercial purposes provided it is saturated

with common salt (NaCl). It was designed as a

fresh water-algae culture medium (Calderón

pers. comm.) and was subsequently modified

by Serpa & Calderón (2005) for the culture of a

marine algae. Here we modified it in order to

create a highly saline environment that can

support halophytic microalgae. Here we

propose some changes that we consider are

Biological Sciences Series B 71(475): 460.

Specimen studied: “Material tomado de la

MCC 18b”. G. Chacón s. n. (MOL!)

Chlorella pyrenoidosa should be placed in the

genus Auxenochlorella (Shihira & R. W.

Krauss) Kalina & Punčoch., for its

physiological characteristics; that is, its

inability to use inorganic nitrates as a nitrogen

source. The control recipient provided with

peptones was able to survive over the two-

weeks period of evaluation. The control

by a partially heterotrophic metabolism

dependent of organic nitrogen compounds,

identical to the metabolism already found in

this species (Samejima & Myers 1958) and

confirmed by us in this study.

Chlorella gloriosa Molinari & Calvo-Pérez,

Marine Biological Association of the United

Kingdom 31: 179. 1952. Nom. illeg. hom. Non

Chlorella salina Kuff., Annales de Biologie

Lacustre, t. 9 (1919): p. 6.

It has been established by Shihira & Krauss

(1965) that no original material was to be

located. Therefore, it is necessary to use the

plates as type. Anyway, the designation of an

epitype may be necessary. We choose to name

it “gloriosa” (“related or pertaining to glory”)

in honour of Prof. Gloria Chacón Roldán de

Popovici, who supported this research,

provided key bibliography and donated crucial

specimens, used for the critical comparison of

the species. The epithet is an adjective, and

should be treated as such.

Chlorella peruviana G. Chacón, 1980

here designated as a lectotype. This is currently

the only endemic species of Chlorella for Peru.

Association of the United Kingdom, 31:

175-191. Acción bactericida

de la Laguna minero medicinal “Santa

Cruz de las Salinas”, Chilca, Lima -

alga, occurring in polluted water, with

especial reference to its nitrogenous

metabolism. Proceedings of the Royal

Society Biological Sciences Series B,

71: 458-476, pl. 8; 7 tables. AlgaeBase.

Scotiellocystoideae Fott 1976

(Chlorellaceae, Chlorophyceae).

Algological Studies, 45: 473-521.

Essais de culture des

Algues Monocellulaires des eaux

Heterotrophic Growth of Chlorella

pyrenoidosa. Journal of general

Microbiology, 18: 107-117. Chlorella.