Szekessy Vilmos (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 55. (Budapest 1963)

Kol, E.: On the red snow of Finse (Norway)

on the red snow of finse 157 There are hardly any other microorganisms in the red snow of Chlamydomonas sanguinea. Only 5 per cent of other microorganisms is represented in the red snow of the Norwegian mountains, and 10 in that of the Alps. It is a rare occurrence indeed to find a cryoseston coloration representing such an enormous amount of a single microorganism. Algae Chlamydomonas nivalis WILLE (figs. 2—5,7). Sphaerical cells of 18—22—30 p diameters (fig. 2). Smaller or greater amounts in all samples. A sphaerical cell, with a very thick gelatinous sheath, 48 p diam., together with sheath, diameter of cell 18 u (fig. 7). zygote 15—21—27 p diam. Great masses in snow sample 15 (figs. 4,5). Protuberances ornamenting surface of zygote 1—4 // high, according to age of zygote. — This plant has the greatest range in the red snows of the Earth, inhabiting especially the snow fields of the Northern Hemisphere; to be found in enormous amounts in most cases in the red snow of Norway. I found it in every examined snow sample, No. 14=—17, 19—-22. Chlamydomonas sanguinea LAGERH. (figs. 3, 8—10, 17, 22). The greatest amount was represented by cylindrical and oval cells of various sizes in the snow samples studied. Width of cells 12—21 u, length 24—-30 p. One of the main constituents of the red snow around Finse. The microorganism was first described by LAGERHEIM from the red snow of South America. — Zygote sphaeroid. sometimes sexagonally flattened, cellular wall brownish, of several layers, diam. 30 p (fig. 17). Chodatella granulosa KOL (fig. 19) Oval, 10 p wide, 20 p long cells, with minute warts. Some specimens in No. 17. I described this microorganism first from the red snow of Greenland ; it was found later also in the Rocky Mountains. Mesotaenium berggrenii (WITTR.) LAGERH. Cylindrical cells, 7—8 p wide, 15 p long. Frequent on ice and fini snow surfaces, both in the Southern and Northern Hemispheres. No. 15, 20. Seotiella nivalis (CHOD.) FRIVSCH (fig. 6) Cells 15 p wide, 21 /( long. — One of the most frequently occurring cryobionts. Seotiella norvegica sp. n. (figs. 11—13, 20- 21) Elliptical, oval, 12—15 p wide, 21—27 p long cells, ornamented by spirally decurrent, sometimes slightly undulating ribs. Similarly to Seotiella cell, cell containing much orange-red oil, situated either at the ends of the cells, or circularly around margins of cell, green chloroplastis being in middle. Cell with one large nucleus, no pyrenoid visible. — The microorganism stands nearest to Seotiella polyptera F. E. FHITSCH, described from the yellow snow of the Antarctis, but it differs by the quality and decurrence of the ribs as well as the measurements of the cell. Several in sample No. 15, also in No. 17.