Notes on the ecology of Synurophycean algae found in Portugal

Abstract

A survey of species of Synurophyceae in samples collected over the last ten years from freshwater bodies of central Portugal resulted in the identification of 33 taxa of Mallomonas and 6 of Synura, of which a total of 24 taxa are reported for the first time from Portugal by means of electron microscopy. A short ecological description is provided for the sampling sites and notes are added about the ecological preferences demonstrated by the most common taxa. Use is made of the saprobity system to designate different types of eutrophic waters. SEM micrographs are provided for all the taxa reported; SEM study was conducted in most cases on uncovered material at an acceleration tension of 2 kV, and higher tensions were used to view the internal structure of the scales and help solving some identification problems.