A new planktic species of Pseudanabaena (Cyanoprokaryota, Oscillatoriales) from North American large lakes

Abstract

A new species of Pseudanabaena (Cyanoprokaryota, Oscillatoriales) from the plankton of North American large lakes is documented, with ecological and distributional data. This taxon differs from previously described Pseudanabaena species with respect to a characteristic undulating and coiling filament structure. Pseudanabaena contorta spec. nova appears to be specific to large North American Great Lakes with a drainage basin that is not totally Precambrian shield. Recently, it has been found as a consistent but minor component of the planktic cyanoprokaryote populations during the spring and summer months in Lake Superior and Lake Ontario. Comparisons are made with other common species of this genus as well as another undulating morphotype of the genus Glaucospira, that could possibly result in confusion, found in other large Alberta and northern Saskatchewan lakes.