Symbiochloris reticulata

Symbiochloris reticulata
Scientific classification
Clade: Viridiplantae
Division: Chlorophyta
Class: Trebouxiophyceae
Order: Trebouxiales
Family: Trebouxiaceae
Genus: Symbiochloris
Species:
S. reticulata
Binomial name
Symbiochloris reticulata
(Tschermak-Woess) Škaloud, Friedl, A.Beck & Dal Grande
Synonyms
  • Myrmecia reticulata Tschermak-Woess
  • Dictyochloropsis reticulata (Tschermak-Woess) Tschermak-Woess

Symbiochloris reticulata is a species of green alga in the Trebouxiales. It is a known as a photobiont (photosynthetic symbiont) with several lichen species, like Lobaria pulmonaria, but also as a free-living soil alga as well. Phylogenetic analysis of rRNA sequence data revealed that the species shares a sister group relationship with two other green algae that lack motile stages, Chlorella saccharophila and C. luteoviridis.

Symbiochloris reticulata consists of single, spherical or slightly ellipsoidal cells 4-13(-15) μm in diameter. The cells have a parietal chloroplast which is net-like in structure. Asexual reproduction occurs by the formation of four or eight (sometimes 16) autospores, which are released by the rupture of the parent cell wall.