Kaszab Zoltán (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 73. (Budapest 1981)

P. Komáromy, Zs.: Chlorokardion salinarum sp. n. from Hungary (Xanthophyceae, Chloramoebales)

Chlorokardion salinarum sp. n. is ranged as the second species of the genus Chlorokardion, owing to its characteristic shape, unequal flagella arising from the truncated front end, the colour of the chloroplast, the amoeboid change of shape and its reproduction. Although there are other motile forms, e.g. Ochromonas, but there no endogenously produced cyst was observed. The new alga species differs from Chlorokardion pleurochloron PASCH. by its dimensions, the number of chloroplasts, the presence of stigma and the biotope in which the examined species occurs. Chlorokardion salinarum sp. n. was observed in the sodic leaching solution of uranium ores first in 1979 then again in 1980. The motile unicells appeared in a large population, lending the water a pale yellow-green colour. The invasion lasted for one week, thereafter the individual number decreased rapidly. The characteristic yellow colour was due to the high ion-cincentration, and to the abundance of carotenoid pigments. NIXON (1974) supposed on the basis earlier studies (FOGG 1953; DUNDAS & LARSEN 1962, 1963) the function of the carotenoids to be a protection device of the chlorophyl against photo-oxidation under very high light intensity, partly to evolve mechanisms to utilize as much energy as is available to •the system. Fig. 1. Chlorokardion salinarum sp. n.: a = frontal view, b = lateral view, c = cross-section, d = non-motile cells