Morphotaxonomic Account of Epilithic Microalgae and Cyanobacteria in Los Baños, Laguna (Philippines)

Abstract

A taxonomic study of epilithic algal flora on the basis of their morphological and cytological characteristics was conducted for documentation and identification up to species level. Microscopic observations of each algal taxa from Los Baños, Laguna shows the occurrence of nine taxa belonging to the class Cyanophyceae, Chlorophyceae and Bacillariophyceae. This paper discuss the morphotaxonomic description of the nine taxa and presents for the first time in the Philippines the current combination of the names Kamptonema cortianum (Meneghini ex Gomont) Strunecký, Komárek & J.Smarda, Kamptonema laetevirens (H.M.Crouan & P.L.Crouan ex Gomont) Strunecký, Komárek & J. Smarda and Phormidium foreaui (Frémy) Umezaki & Watanabe which were based on the old names of Oscillatoria cortiana Meneghini ex Gomont, Oscillatoria laetevirens H.M.Crouan & P.L.Crouan ex Gomont and Oscillatoria foreaui Frémy, respectively. These taxonomic records show important baseline knowledge and adequate information for future studies on epilithic microalgal and cyanobacterial taxonomy on subaerial habitat.