1 New methods for preparing, imaging and typifying desmids (Chlorophyta, Zygnematophyceae), including extended depth of focus and 3-D reconstruction DAVID G. MANN1*, MICHA M. BAYER1, STEPHEN J.M. DROOP1, Y.A. (JULIA) HICKS2, A. DAVID MARSHALL3, RALPH R. MARTIN3 AND PAUL L. ROSIN3 1 Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH3 5LR, Scotland, UK 2 School of Engineering, Cardiff University, Queen’s Buildings, Newport Road, P.O. Box 925, Cardiff, CF24 0YF, Wales, UK 3 School of Computer Science, Cardiff University, Queen's Buildings, Newport Road, P.O. Box 916, Cardiff CF24 3XF, Wales, UK * Corresponding author (
[email protected]). RRH: Mann et al.: Desmid preparation and imaging Keywords: Chlorophyta, desmids, extended depth of focus, imaging, microscopy, taxonomy, typification, World-Wide Web, Zygnematophyceae 2 D.G. MANN, M.M. BAYER, S.J.M. DROOP, Y.A. HICKS, A.D. MARSHALL, R.R. MARTIN AND P.L. ROSIN. 2006. New methods for preparing, imaging and typifying desmids (Chlorophyta, Zygnematophyceae), including extended depth of focus and 3-D reconstruction. Phycologia 00: 000–000 Species- and genus-level taxonomy of desmids depends largely on shape and detail of the cell wall and chloroplast morphology. The depth of most desmid semicells, relative to the focal depth of conventional light microscopes, means that morphological characteristics are usually illustrated by drawings, made from material that is mounted in water to allow re-orientation of specimens to different aspects of shape and pattern. Though a productive approach for two centuries, this has the disadvantages that features not initially detected or thought irrelevant are not recorded, drawing quality is variable, and individual specimens are rarely retained for further study.