The Cyanidiales: Ecology, Biodiversity, and Biogeography

摘要: The order Cyanidiales (or class Cyanidiophyceae) is comprised of asexual, unicellular red algae that are known to grow in low pH environments (0.2–3.5 or 4.0) and at moderately high temperatures (up 56°C) typically found acidic geothermal habitats throughout the Earth. No other photosynthetic microorganisms inhabit this combination conditions. Cyanidiales, since 1981, thought consist three genera: Cyanidium, Galdieria, Cyanidioschyzon (Ciniglia et al., 2004; Gross 2001; Heilmann Gross, 2001). This group appears be phylogenetically quite distinct from main line descent branches off early geologic time (i.e. ∼ 1.3–1.4 Ga), based on phylogenetic, molecular clock inference fossil evidence for first reputed macroalgae, which presumed ancestors Rhodophyta (Yoon 2002, 2004, 2006b). In chapter, we comment ecology, biodiversity, biogeography these fascinating eukaryotic extremophiles, attempting assimilate recent, important developments our understanding algae.