Nature Environment and Pollution Technology p-ISSN: 0972-6268 Vol. 19 No. 1 pp. 409-412 2020 An International Quarterly Scientific Journal e-ISSN: 2395-3454 Original Research Paper Open Access First Identification of the Chlorophyte Algae Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata (Korshikov) Hindák in Lake Waters of India Vidya Padmakumar and N. C. Tharavathy Department of Studies and Research in Biosciences, Mangalore University, Mangalagangotri, Mangaluru-574199, Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka, India ABSTRACT Nat. Env. & Poll. Tech. Website: www.neptjournal.com The species Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata is a freshwater microalga belonging to Chlorophyceae. It is one of the best-known bio indicators in eco-toxicological research. It has been increasingly Received: 13-06-2019 prevalent in many fresh water bodies worldwide. They have been since times used in many landmark Accepted: 23-07-2019 toxicological analyses due to their ubiquitous nature and acute sensitivity to substances. During a survey Key Words: of chlorophytes in effluent impacted lakes of Attibele region of Southern Bangalore,Pseudokirchneriella Bioindicator subcapitata was identified from the samples collected from the Giddenahalli Lake as well as Zuzuvadi Ecotoxicology Lake. This is the first identification of this species in India. Analysis based on micromorphology confirmed Lakes of India the status of the organism to be Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata. Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata INTRODUCTION Classification: Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata was previously called as Empire: Eukaryota Selenastrum capricornatum (NIVA-CHL 1 strain). But Kingdom: Plantae according to Nygaard & Komarek et al. (1986, 1987), Subkingdom: Viridiplantae this alga does not belong to the genus Selenastrum instead to Raphidocelis (Hindak 1977) and was renamed Infrakingdom: Chlorophyta Raphidocelis subcapitata (Korshikov 1953). Hindak Phylum: Chlorophyta in 1988 made the name Kirchneriella subcapitata Subphylum: Chlorophytina Korshikov, and it was his type species of his new Genus Class: Chlorophyceae Kirchneria. But by the year 1990, Hindak realized that the name Kirchneria had already been in use for two Order: Sphaeropleales other botanicals and hence further modified the name to Family: Selenastraceae Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata. Therefore, the species Genus: Pseudokirchneriella hence was correctly renamed as Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata (Korshikov) Hindak. It has a uniform morphology and does not form chains. Colonies formed are non-mucilaginous with 4-16 cells form- Though ubiquitous, this species has been recorded only in recent national and state lists which employed extensive ing matrix attaching their dorsal sides to each cell. Each cell analyses and hence a general indication of the distribution has a single chloroplast. It is an extremely sensitive species as Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata states its presence which acts as a bio indicator detecting toxins and nutrient in Europe: Netherlands (Veen et al. 2015), Scandinavia, levels in extensively minute quantities. Hence it is considered Slovakia, Spain and Korea (Cambra Sanchez et al. 1998). one of the most important organisms in bioassays of water quality, algecides and environmental assessments. It has an Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata is a crescent shaped/ exponentially high growth rate allowing large quantities to sickle shaped unicellular alga with an approximate 40-60 be grown in limited period of time (Guiry & Guiry 2017). µm3 in dimension. It belongs to the class Chlorophyceae (green algae). In March 2018, a water sample was collected from the 410 Vidya Padmakumar and N.C. Tharavathy Lake Giddenahalli, and Lake Zuzuvadi, as part of algal diver- allowed to settle and the 200 mL of concentrated settled sity studies and water quality assessment in fresh water lakes subsample was separated and preserved in Lugol’s Iodine of Tamil Nadu-Karnataka border zones of the south end of solution for identification of algae. Bangalore region. The dominant species in both the samples Enumeration of the algae along with the morphological collectedKorshikov, were identified O.A. and1987 confirmed. The F asreshwater Pseudokirch -Algaestudies of werethe done Ukranian using an OlympusSSR. V. microscope Subclass at 40x and neriella subcapitata by micro morphological analyses. The 100x and Utermohl’s settling chamber at 200x magnification discovery ofProtococcineae this species in fresh Vacuolales water samples and in ProtococcalesIndia is for abundance. Bishen was Singh used. Mahendra Pal Singh, the first reported occurrence. Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata was noted to be found in MATERIALSDehradun AND METHODS and Koeltz Scientific Books, pp.abundance 412.) compared to other algae and hence came into im- mediate notice due to its unique morphological characteristics. Lake Giddenahalli (Fig. 1) is a shallow (4 ft max depth) olig- Further isolation of the algal species was done using Agar otrophicNygaard, lake in the G. Attibele and Komarek, region of Karnataka J. 1986 (12.7825°N,. Opera Botanica , pp. 90. plating technique for studies on micromorphology and to estab- 77.7593°E). It is surrounded by industries that produce bulk lish correct identity documentation of the discovered species. drugsNygaard, and plastics. G. It and is a Komarek,lake with a circumferenceJ. 1987 Opera of apBotanica- , pp. 46. proximately 900 meters facing the Hosur-Bangalore National RESULTS Highway No. 7 on one side. LakeVeen, Zuzuvadi A., (Fig.Hof, 2) isC.H.J., a eutrophic Kouwets, lake located F.A.C. in the andThe concentrationBerkhout, T.of the2015. algae RijkswaterstaatPseudokirchneriella sub- Hosur district of Tamil Nadu (12.7706°N, 77.7817°E). It is capitata in the samples collected in March 2018 from the 5 also located Waterdienst,amidst a set of industries Informatihuis at the Sipcot Water Industrial [Taxa lake waterGiddenahalli management and Zuzuvadi the was Netherlands6.3 × 10 cells/mL and area (Phase 2). It has a circumference of 1.9 kms with one 5.4 × 105cells/mL respectively. The strain obtained from both the lakes confirmed to species descriptions suggested from side of the lake(TWN)]. facing the residential villa colony ‘Upkar Royal Gardens’. natural populations as explained by Hindak (1990). A two-litre sample of water from both the lakes collected The observed micro morphological characteristics that duringVigneault, March 2018, B. usingand Campbell,a 100 µ plankton P.G.C. net 2005.as part Uptakeof pertained of cadmium for confirmation by freshwater of the species green type algae: included the algal diversity studies and water quality assessment of the following: Unicellular and solitary species-forming non- freshwater lakesEffects in the of area.pH and The aquatic samples humiccollected substances. were mucilaginous Journal of colonies Phycology (few-celled, 41: 55 clusters)-61. during cell Fig. 1: Lake Giddenahalli - An overview. Fig. 1: Lake Giddenahalli - An overview. Vol. 19, No. 1, 2020 • Nature Environment and Pollution Technology 9 IDENTIFICATION OF PSEUDOKIRCHNERIELLA SUBCAPITATA IN LAKE WATERS 411 Fig. 2: Lake Zuzuvadi - An overview. Fig.Fig. 2:2: Lake Zuzuvadi Zuzuvadi - A -n Aoverview.n overview. Fig. 3: The alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata. Fig. 3: The alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata. division occasionally. Cells are helical shaped with semi DISCUSSION circularly curved during the vegetative phase twisting one This study has been successful in providing micro morphological and half turns. The diameter of the 154-360° arc ranges Fig. 3: The alga Pseudokirchneriellaclarifications subcapitata. for the presence of Pseudokirchneriella from 4.8-10.8µm, width from 1.6-4.4µm and depth/width 10 subcapitata in the freshwater lakes of the Indian Subcontinent. ratio being 1.7-4.1 (Fig. 3). The chloroplast is parietal, It is seen to be a ubiquitous species but still has received devoid of pyrenoid. Reproduction is generally by division of the mother cell into 2, 4 and 8 autospores (Nygaard & only recent mentions in National as well as State lists of few Komarek 1986). It is often described as a common species countries. It has been recorded in the Netherlands by Veen in planktonic environments representing both oligotrophic et al. (2015) and Slovakia, Scandinavia, Spain10 and Korea by Cambra Sanchez et al. (1998), which are a few to mention. and eutrophic fresh water ecosystems (Vigneault & Campbell 2005). Studies on different lakes in many other countries have led to Nature Environment and Pollution Technology • Vol. 19, No. 1, 2020 412 Vidya Padmakumar and N.C. Tharavathy the mention of the species in national and state level lists that REFERENCES are issued in public interest in many countries. Cambra Sanchez, J., Alvarez Cobelas, M. and Aboal Sanjurjo, M. 1998. This species has been of wide use in eco toxicological Floristic and bibliographic list of chlorophytes (Chlorophyta) of studies and algal toxicity tests. Records of the Karnataka the Iberian Peninsula, Balearic Islands and Canary Islands. Spanish Association of Limnology, Burgos. Biodiversity Board and the authorities were referred for Guiry, M.D. and Guiry, G.M. 2017. Algaebase, world-wide electronic clarification and establishment of this work being the first publication. Galway: National University of Ireland, Retrieved from identification of occurrence of the algae in Indian fresh water https://www.algaebase.org ecosystems. Hindak, F. 1977. Studies on the Clorococcal algae (Chlorophyceae) I Biologicke Prace 6. XXIV, Bratislava. Over the last decade, large number