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Blue-Green Algae
Cyanophyta
  

Dominant Blue-Green Algae

Anacystis sp. Courtesy of Hawaii Botany Aphanocapsa delicatissima. Courtesy of NCUE. Microcystis sp. Courtesy of Cyanosite NA Oscillatoria tenuis. Courtesy of Protist Information Server.
Anacystis montana f. minor Aphanocapsa delicatissima Microcystis sp. Oscillatoria minima Oscillatoria tenuis

Great Lakes Blue-Green Algae Species List

  • Class Myxophyceae
    • Order Chroococcales
      • Family Chamaesiphonaceae
      • Family Chroococcaceae
        • Genus Anacystis
          • Anacystis montana*# DsDe
          • Anacystis thermalis*#
        • Genus Aphanocapsa
          • Aphanocapsa delicatissima H Dm
          • Aphanocapsa elachista*H
          • Aphanocapsa endophytica
          • Aphanocapsa grevillei
          • Aphanocapsa pulchra
          • Aphanocapsa rivularis
        • Genus Aphanothece H
          • Aphanothece castagnei (aka Anacystis marginata)
          • Aphanothece clathrata
          • Aphanothece gelatinosa*#
          • Aphanothece microscopica*
          • Aphanothece microspora
          • Aphanothece nidulans*
          • Aphanothece pallida (aka Gloeothece rupestris, Anacystis rupestris)
          • Aphanothece prasina (aka Anacystis rupestris v. prasina)
          • Aphanothece saxicola
          • Aphanothece stagnina (aka Anacystis rupestris)
        • Genus Chroococcus
          • Chroococcus dispersus*#
          • Chroococcus giganteus
          • Chroococcus limneticus*#H
          • Chroococcus minimus H
          • Chroococcus minor
          • Chroococcus minutus H
          • Chroococcus pallidus
          • Chroococcus prescottii
          • Chroococcus turgidus
          • Chroococcus varius
        • Genus Coccochloris => Aphanothece
          • Coccochloris elabans*
        • Genus Coelosphaerium
          • Coelosphaerium dubium*#
          • Coelosphaerium kuetzingianum H
          • Coelosphaerium naegelianum*#H
          • Coelosphaerium pallidum
        • Genus Cyanarcus*
          • Cyanarcus hamiformis
        • Genus Dactylococcopsis H
          • Dactylococcopsis acicularis
          • Dactylococcopsis fascicularis
          • Dactylococcopsis smithii*
          • Dactylococcopsis rhaphidiodes
        • Genus Glaucocystis
          • Glaucocystis duplex
          • Glaucocystis oocystiformis
          • Glaucocystis nostochinearum
        • Genus Gloeocapsa
          • Gloeocapsa aeruginosa
          • Gloeocapsa calcarea
          • Gloeocapsa punctata
          • Gloeocapsa rupestris
        • Genus Gloeochaete
          • Gloeochaete wittrockiana
        • Genus Gloeothece H
          • Gloeothece fusco-lutea
          • Gloeothece linearis
          • Gloeothece rupestris*#
        • Genus Gomphosphaeria
          • Gomphosphaeria aponina*#
          • Gomphosphaeria lacustris H
        • Genus Holopedium
          • Holopedium irregulare
        • Genus Marssoniella
          • Marssoniella elegans
        • Genus Merismopedia
          • Merismopedia chondroidea
          • Merismopedia convoluta
          • Merismopedia elegans
          • Merismopedia glauca H
          • Merismopedia punctata
          • Merismopedia tenuissima H
          • Merismopedia trolleri
        • Genus Microcystis De
          • Microcystis aeruginosa (aka Microcystis flos-aquae, Microcystis ichthyoblabe) H
          • Microcystis incerta (aka Microcystis pulverea) H
        • Genus Rhabdoderma
          • Rhabdoderma gorskii*
          • Rhabdoderma irregulare
          • Rhabdoderma lineare
          • Rhabdoderma sigmoidea
        • Genus Synechococcus *#
          • Synechococcus aeruginosus
    • Order Hormogonales
      • SubOrder Homocystineae
        • Family Oscillatoriaceae
          • Genus Arthrospira
          • Genus Hydrocoleum
            • Hydrocoleum oligotrichum
          • Genus Lyngbya
            • Lyngbya aerugineo-caerulea
            • Lyngbya aestuarii
            • Lyngbya birgei H
            • Lyngbya contorta H
            • Lyngbya diguetti
            • Lyngbya epiphytica
            • Lyngbya hieronymusii
            • Lyngbya lagerheimia
            • Lyngbya latissima
            • Lyngbya limnetica* (aka L. limneticum)
            • Lyngbya major
            • Lyngbya martensiana
            • Lyngbya nordgaardii
            • Lyngbya purpurea
            • Lyngbya spirulinoides
            • Lyngbya taylorii
            • Lyngbya versicolor
          • Genus Microcoleus
            • Microcoleus lacustris
            • Microcoleus paludosus
            • Microcoleus vaginatus
          • Genus Oscillatoria
            • Oscillatoria acutissima H
            • Oscillatoria agardhii*H
            • Oscillatoria amoena
            • Oscillatoria amphibia
            • Oscillatoria anguina
            • Oscillatoria angusta
            • Oscillatoria angustissima
            • Oscillatoria articulata
            • Oscillatoria bornetii
            • Oscillatoria chalybea
            • Oscillatoria curviceps
            • Oscillatoria formosa
            • Oscillatoria granulata
            • Oscillatoria hamelii
            • Oscillatoria lacustris
            • Oscillatoria limnea
            • Oscillatoria limnetica*#
            • Oscillatoria minima Ds
            • Oscillatoria nigra
            • Oscillatoria ornata
            • Oscillatoria princeps
            • Oscillatoria prolifica*
            • Oscillatoria rubescens*
            • Oscillatoria sancta
            • Oscillatoria splendida
            • Oscillatoria subbrevis*
            • Oscillatoria tenuis*H Dh
            • Oscillatoria terebriformis
          • Genus Phormidium
            • Phormidium ambiguum
            • Phormidium autumnale
            • Phormidium corium
            • Phormidium favosum
            • Phormidium incrustatum
            • Phormidium inundatum
            • Phormidium lucidum
            • Phormidium minnesotense
            • Phormidium mucicola
            • Phormidium retzii
            • Phormidium setchellianum
            • Phormidium subfuscum
            • Phormidium tenue
            • Phormidium uncinatum
          • Genus Schizothrix
            • Schizothrix fasciculata
            • Schizothrix friesii
            • Schizothrix fuscescens
            • Schizothrix lacustris
            • Schizothrix lardcea
            • Schizothrix muelleri
            • Schizothrix rivularis
            • Schizothrix tinctoria
            • Schizothrix vaginata
          • Genus Spirulina *#
            • Spirulina laxa
            • Spirulina laxissima
            • Spirulina major
            • Spirulina nordstedtii
            • Spirulina princeps
            • Spirulina subsalsa
          • Genus Symploca
            • Symploca muscorum
          • Genus Trichodesmium
      • Suborder Heterocystineae
        • Family Nostocaceae
          • Genus Anabaena
            • Anabaena aequalis
            • Anabaena affinis
            • Anabaena augustumnalis
            • Anabaena azollae
            • Anabaena bornetiana
            • Anabaena catenula
            • Anabaena circinalis*#
            • Anabaena felisii
            • Anabaena flos-aquae*# H
            • Anabaena helicoidea
            • Anabaena inaequalis
            • Anabaena lapponica
            • Anabaena levanderi
            • Anabaena limnetica
            • Anabaena macrospora
            • Anabaena oscillarioides
            • Anabaena planctonica
            • Anabaena scheremetievi
            • Anabaena spiroides*#
            • Anabaena subcylindrica
            • Anabaena torulosa
            • Anabaena unispora
            • Anabaena variabilis
            • Anabaena verrucosa
            • Anabaena viguieri
            • Anabaena wisconsinense
          • Genus Anabaenopsis
            • Anabaenopsis elenkinii
          • Genus Aphanizomenon
            • Aphanizomenon flos-aquae*# H
          • Genus Aulosira
            • Aulosira laxa
          • Genus Cylindrospermopsis
            • Cylindrospermopsis raciborski
          • Genus Cylindrospermum
            • Cylindrospermum catenatum
            • Cylindrospermum licheniforme
            • Cylindrospermum majus
            • Cylindrospermum marchicum
            • Cylindrospermum minimum
            • Cylindrospermum minutissimum
            • Cylindrospermum minutum
            • Cylindrospermum muscicola
            • Cylindrospermum stagnale
          • Genus Nodularia
            • Nodularia harveyana
            • Nodularia spumigena
          • Genus Nostoc
            • Nostoc caeruleum
            • Nostoc carneum
            • Nostoc comminutum
            • Nostoc commune
            • Nostoc ellipsosporum
            • Nostoc linckia
            • Nostoc microscopicum
            • Nostoc muscorum
            • Nostoc paludosum
            • Nostoc pruniforme
            • Nostoc punctiforme
            • Nostoc sphaericum
            • Nostoc spongiaeforme
            • Nostoc verrucosum
          • Genus Wollea
        • Family Rivulariaceae
          • Genus Calothrix
            • Calothrix adscendens
            • Calothrix atricha
            • Calothrix breviarticulata
            • Calothrix braunii
            • Calothrix epiphytica
            • Calothrix fusca
            • Calothrix parietana
            • Calothrix stagnalis
            • Calothrix stellaris
          • Genus Dichothrix
            • Dichothrix gypsophila
            • Dichothrix hosfordii
            • Dichothrix orsiniana
          • Genus Gloeotrichia
            • Gloeotrichia echinulata
            • Gloeotrichia longiarticulata
            • Gloeotrichia natans
            • Gloeotrichia pisum
          • Genus Rivularia
            • Rivularia haematites
            • Rivularia minutula
          • Genus Sacconema
            • Sacconema rupestre
        • Family Scytonemataceae
          • Genus Diplonema
          • Genus Microchaete
            • Microchaete diplosiphon
            • Microchaete goeppertiana
            • Microchaete robusta
            • Microchaete spiralis
            • Microchaete tenera
          • Genus Plectonema
            • Plectonema carneum
            • Plectonema nostocorum
            • Plectonema notatum
            • Plectonema purpureum
            • Plectonema tenue
            • Plectonema wollei
          • Genus Scytonema
            • Scytonema alatum
            • Scytonema archangelii
            • Scytonema coactile
            • Scytonema crispum
            • Scytonema mirabile
            • Scytonema myochrous
            • Scytonema tolypothricoides
          • Genus Tolypothrix
            • Tolypothrix conglutinata
            • Tolypothrix distorta
            • Tolypothrix lanata
            • Tolypothrix limbata
            • Tolypothrix tenuis
        • Family Stigonemataceae
          • Genus Fischerella
            • Fischerella ambigua
            • Fischerella muscicola
          • Genus Hapalosiphon
            • Hapalosiphon aureus
            • Hapalosiphon brasiliensis
            • Hapalosiphon confervaceus
            • Hapalosiphon flexuosus
            • Hapalosiphon hibernicus
            • Hapalosiphon intricatus
            • Hapalosiphon pumilus
          • Genus Stigonema
            • Stigonema mamillosum
            • Stigonema mesentericum
            • Stigonema ocellatum
            • Stigonema turfaceum
        • Family Nostochopsaceae

Based on: G.W. Prescott. 1962. Algae of the Western Great Lakes Area. Wm. C. Brown Co., Inc.

*Globe icon indicates link to a non-NOAA sitePlankton in Lake Michigan 1983 - 1992 . EPA/GLNPO. Epilimnetic Phytoplankton and Zooplankton Biomass and Species Composition in Lake Michigan, 1983 to 1992. Joseph C. Makarewicz, Theodore Lewis and Paul Bertram. October 1994. [Reports Stylotheca aurea - Other references to this species of Chrysophyte cannot be found so this species is not included in the above list]

#Globe icon indicates link to a non-NOAA sitePlankton in Lake Ontario 1986 - 1992. EPA/GLNPO. Epilimnetic Phytoplankton and Zooplankton Biomass and Species Composition in Lake Ontario, 1986 to 1992. Joseph C. Makarewicz, Theodore Lewis1 and Paul Bertram. July 1995.

E Great Lakes Aquatic Nonindigenous Species List.

Ds Dm Dh De Do - Dominant algae species of each Lake - Per Globe icon indicates link to a non-NOAA siteResults From The Great Lakes National Program Office's Biological Open Water Surveillance Program Of The Laurentian Great Lakes for 1998. EPA.

H Brown and Manny. 1983. Nearshore Plankton of Hammond Bay, Lake Huron. Globe icon indicates link to a non-NOAA siteJGLR 9(4)523-529.

Additional taxonomic placements based on: Prescott. 1970. how to know the Freshwater Algae. Wm. C. Brown Co. [Ankyra, Chlorogonium, Lobomonas, Phacotus, Pyramidomonas, Sphaerellocystis, Bitrichia, Chromulina, Chrysarachnion, Chrysochromulina, Chrysococcus, Epipyxis, Kephyrion, Monosiga, Ochromonas, Pseudokephyrion, Salpingoeca, Stichogloea, Uroglena, Chilomonas, Rhodomonas, Amphidinium, Enteromorpha, Nitellopsis]

Additional taxonomic placements based on: Globe icon indicates link to a non-NOAA siteProtist Information Server. [Chlamydocapsa, Monoraphidium, Planktonema, Selenastrum, Sphaerellopsis]

Additional taxonomic placements based on: European Register of Marine Species [Hymenomonas]

Additional taxonomic placements based on: Globe icon indicates link to a non-NOAA siteSystema Naturae 2000 [Paraphysomonas, Spiniferomonas]

Additional taxonomic placements based on: Globe icon indicates link to a non-NOAA siteVCR LTER Biodiversity Database [Coccochloris]

?Additional Taxonomy, uncertain.[Chodatellopsis, Diplochloris, Echinocoleum, Gloedactinium, Chrysolykos, Isthmochloron, Sphacelariales]

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Great Lakes Blue-Green Algae Genera

Unicells and small colonies (<8 cells)

Chamaesiphon sp. Courtesy of Ohio University

Chamaesiphon

Chroococcus sp. Courtesy of Cyanosite at Purdue University

Chroococcus

NA

Gloeochaete

Glaucocystis sp. Courtesy of Michigan Tech

Glaucocystis

Synechococcus sp. Courtesy of Michigan Tech

Synechococcus

Spirulina sp. Courtesy of Ohio University

Spirulina

Globular colonies

Coelosphaerium sp. Courtesy of Michigan Tech

Coelosphaerium

Gomphosphaeria aponina. Courtesy of Michigan Tech

Gomphosphaeria

Aphanocapsa delicatissima. Courtesy of NCUE.

Aphanocapsa

Coccochloris drawing. Courtesy of Hawaii Botany

Coccochloris

Aphanothece sp. Courtesy of Michigan Tech

Aphanothece

NA

Rhabdoderma

Gloeothece linearis. Courtesy of Protist Information Server

Gloeothece

Gloeocapsa sp. Courtesy of The University of Michigan

Gloeocapsa

Anacystis sp. Courtesy of micro*scope

Anacystis

Pelogloea sp. Courtesy of Michigan Tech

Pelogloea

Microcystis sp. colonies. Courtesy of Cyanosite.

Microcystis

Platelike Colonies

Other Colony Forms

Merismopedia sp. Courtesy of Ohio University

Merismopedia

Microcrocis geminata

Holopedium

Gurleya sp. Courtesy of D. Ebert

Marssoniella

NA

Cyanarcus

Dactylococcopsis fascicularis. Courtesy of Blaualgaen

Dactylococcopsis

Simple Unbranched Filaments

Oscillatoria tenuis. Courtesy of Protist Information Server.

Oscillatoria

Lyngbya sp. Courtesy of Michigan Tech

Lyngbya

Nodularia spumigena. Courtesy of Cyanosite

Nodularia

Anabaenopsis circularis. Courtesy of Cyanosite

Anabaenopsis

Anabaena circinalis. Courtesy of Cyanosite

Anabaena

Arthrospira jenneri. Courtesy of Cyanosite

Arthrospira

Multiple and parallel filaments in small colonies

Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii. Courtesy of Cyanosite

Cylindrospermopsis

Microcoleus sp. Courtesy of Cyanosite

Microcoleus

NA

Hydrocoleum

Aphanizomenon flos-aquae. Courtesy of Cyanosite

Aphanizomenon

Trichodesmium sp. Courtesy of Cyanosite

Trichodesmium

 

Cylindrospermum muscicola. Courtesy of Cyanosite

Cylindrospermum

Calothrix sp. Courtesy of Cyanosite

Calothrix

Unbranched filaments forming globose or matlike colonies

Aulosira laxa. Courtesy of NIES

Aulosira

Nostoc sp. Courtesy of Ohio University

Nostoc

Wollea sp. Courtesy of Botanic Gardens Trust

Wollea

Phormidium ucinatum. Courtesy of Cyanosite

Phormidium

Symploca borealis. Courtesy of Michigan State University

Symploca

NA

Amphithrix

Gloeotricha sp. Courtesy of Cyanosite

Gloeotrichia

Rivularia sp. Courtesy of Protist Information Server

Rivularia

NA

Sacconema

Microchaete sp. Courtesy of Ohio University

Microchaete

Filaments with False Branching

Plectonema sp. Courtesy of micro*scope

Plectonema

Tolypothrix sp. Courtesy of Cyanosite

Tolypothrix

NA

Diplonema

Scytonema sp. Courtesy of Ohio University

Scytonema

Filaments with true branching

Schizothrix lenormandiana. Courtesy of Cyanosite

Schizothrix

Hapalosiphon sp. Courtesy of Michigan Tech

Hapalosiphon

Dichothrix sp. Courtesy of Napier University

Dichothrix

Fischerella sp. Courtesy of Cyanosite

Fischerella

Stigonema ocellatum. Courtesy of Protist Information Server

Stigonema

Blue-Green Algae Links

Globe icon indicates link to a non-NOAA siteCyanoDB - revised taxonomy
Globe icon indicates link to a non-NOAA sitePhytopia: Special Topics: Freshwater Harmful Algal Blooms
Globe icon indicates link to a non-NOAA siteIntroduction to the Cyanobacteria

Photo Credits

Globe icon indicates link to a non-NOAA siteCyanosite - Purdue University
Globe icon indicates link to a non-NOAA siteOhio University
Globe icon indicates link to a non-NOAA siteMichigan Technical University
Globe icon indicates link to a non-NOAA siteKingdom Monera, Division Cyanophyta - Lecture Notes - Hawaii Botany
Globe icon indicates link to a non-NOAA siteProtist Information Server - Y. Tsukii
Globe icon indicates link to a non-NOAA sitemicro*scope
Globe icon indicates link to a non-NOAA siteThe Algal Web - Napier University
Globe icon indicates link to a non-NOAA siteBotanic Gardens Trust
Globe icon indicates link to a non-NOAA siteUniversity of Michigan
Globe icon indicates link to a non-NOAA siteMichigan State University
Globe icon indicates link to a non-NOAA siteBlaualgen
Globe icon indicates link to a non-NOAA siteNational Institute of Environmental Studies
Globe icon indicates link to a non-NOAA siteEbert, D. Web-guide to Daphnia parasites

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Last Updated: 2006-12-26

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