''Cyanophora cuspidata'' is a species of

algae Algae ( , ; : alga ) is an informal term for any organisms of a large and diverse group of photosynthesis, photosynthetic organisms that are not plants, and includes species from multiple distinct clades. Such organisms range from unicellular ...

classified as a

glaucophyte The glaucophytes, also known as glaucocystophytes or glaucocystids, are a small group of unicellular algae found in freshwater and moist terrestrial environments, less common today than they were during the Proterozoic. The stated number of speci ...

. It was first identified as a distinct species in 2014, from a strain isolated from

Erlangen Erlangen (; , ) is a Middle Franconian city in Bavaria, Germany. It is the seat of the administrative district Erlangen-Höchstadt (former administrative district Erlangen), and with 119,810 inhabitants (as of 30 September 2024), it is the smalle ...

, Germany in 1967.

Morphology

Cells of ''C. cuspidata'' have been reported to be "obovoid to ellipsoidal" in shape, with sizes ranging from 5-12 μm in length and 2-5 μm in width. A distinct tapered "tail" has been reported at the tips of cells, which is unique among ''

Cyanophora ''Cyanophora'' is a genus of glaucophytes, a group of rare but evolutionarily significant freshwater microalgae. It includes the following species: * '' Cyanophora biloba'' * '' Cyanophora cuspidata'' * '' Cyanophora kugrensii'' * '' Cyanophora ...

''. Cells have only 1-2

plastid A plastid is a membrane-bound organelle found in the Cell (biology), cells of plants, algae, and some other eukaryotic organisms. Plastids are considered to be intracellular endosymbiotic cyanobacteria. Examples of plastids include chloroplasts ...

s. As with other ''Cyanophora'' species, no

cell wall A cell wall is a structural layer that surrounds some Cell type, cell types, found immediately outside the cell membrane. It can be tough, flexible, and sometimes rigid. Primarily, it provides the cell with structural support, shape, protection, ...

is present.

Use as a model organism

''Cyanophora'' is notable as the only glaucophyte taxon known to possess a

flagellum A flagellum (; : flagella) (Latin for 'whip' or 'scourge') is a hair-like appendage that protrudes from certain plant and animal sperm cells, from fungal spores ( zoospores), and from a wide range of microorganisms to provide motility. Many pr ...

for the entirety of its life cycle. The flagella of ''C. cuspidata'' has been studied as a method to more accurately place glaucophytes within eukaryote

phylogeny A phylogenetic tree or phylogeny is a graphical representation which shows the evolutionary history between a set of species or Taxon, taxa during a specific time.Felsenstein J. (2004). ''Inferring Phylogenies'' Sinauer Associates: Sunderland, M ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q20054784 Glaucophyta species Glaucophyta