European Journal of Biological Sciences 7 (4): 197-202, 2015 ISSN 2079-2085 © IDOSI Publications, 2015 DOI: 10.5829/idosi.ejbs.2015.7.04.1109 Observation on Species Diversity of Chroococcaceae of Lakes of North Maharashtra, India S.R. Mahajan Department of Botany Bhusawal Arts, Science and P.O. Nahata Commerce College, Bhusawal. 425201 Dist-Jalgaon, (M.S), India Abstract: To study the taxonomy and diversity of chroococcaceae, a monthly visits and sample collections were made from lentic water bodies and its adjoining fields at Hartala and Velhala villages in Jalgaon district of North Maharashtra, during June 2012 to May 2014. About 30 taxa under 6 genera (viz Microcystis, Chroococcus, Gloeocapsa, Aphanocapsa, Aphanothece, Synechocystis) Microcystis aeruginosa Kuetz., M. floxe-aquae Kerchener, M. marginata Kuetz., M. robusta Nygard, M. viridis (A.Br.) Lemm. Chroococcus coharens (Breb. Nag.) C. hansgirgi Schmidle. C. minimus (Keissler ) Lamm., C. minutus (Kuetz.) Nag., C. montanus Hansgirg, C. varius A.Br., Gloeocapsa calcarea Tilden, G. kuetzingiana Nag., G. crepidium Thuret., G. punctata Nag., G. stegophila (Itzings.) Rabenh.v.crassa Rao, C.B., G. rupestris ( Lyngb.) Bornet v. maxima West., G. samoensis Wille, Aphanocapsa banaresensis Bharadwaja, A. Crassa Ghose, A. grevilleri ( Mass.) Rabenh., A. koordersi Strom., A. montana Cramer., A. roseana De Bary., A. castagenei (Breb.) Rabenh., A. pallida (Kuetz.) Rabenh., Synechocystis aquatilis Nag., S. aquatilis Sauv., S. pevalekii Ercegovic., were observed in details. The author also observed the occerrence of different taxa in different seasons which reflected the ecological nature of the members of Chroococcaceae. It has been observed that January is the most suaitable month for the occurrence of Chroococcaceae. Among these Aphanocapsa was dominant and represented by 6 species. Key words: Algae Chroococcaceae Lake North Maharashtra INTRODUCTION Lake is located at latitude 21°00’ North and longitude 76°00’ East. The drainage area of this lake is 6.61 square Cyanobacteria is an extremely diverse group of miles. The lake has a capacity of 140 millions of cubic feet. prokaryotic organisms which make valuable contributions Three stations were selected for the collection of water to soil fertility by fixing atmospheric molecular nitrogen and algal samples. H-I station is very near to village, (N2 ) and play an important role in all types of water at this station during the study period, the water utilized bodies. Polluted waters harbors characteristic type of blue for clothes washing and bathing by villagers and also green algae. To know the diversity of Cyanobacteria cattle wadding was seen. At this station water was much particularly members of family Chroococcaceae in polluted contaminated due to addition of domestic wastes etc. Hartala and mildly polluted Velhala Lake of North H-II station is near to Chakradhar Swamy temple nearly Maharashtra, present study has been carried out. 1 km away from the H-I station. At this station during the study period, the water was utilized for bathing and MATERIALS AND METHODS washing clothes by villagers. At this station fishing and cattle wadding were observed in the study period. Two different lakes of Jalgaon (India) have been H-III station remained away from human activities and selected for the present study and work has been carried was free from much contamination. out from June 2012 to May 2014. The Hartala Lake is Another lake selected for study is Velhala Lake located near the village Hartala of Tal - Muktainagar lies situated near village Velhala of Bhusawal taluka. It lies at on small tributary of river Tapti. Geographically, Hartala 20°55’ North latitude and 75°50’ East longitude. The net Corresponding Author: S.R. Mahajan, Department of Botany Bhusawal Arts, Science and P.O. Nahata Commerce College, Bhusawal. 425201 Dist-Jalgaon, (M.S), India. 197 Europ. J. Biol. Sci., 7 (4): 197-202, 2015 available storage of lake is 74 millions of cubic feet. Microcystis robusta (Clark) Nygaard (Plate 1 F.4) Three stations were selected for the collection of water and algal samples. V-I station of Velhala Lake received ash Desikachary, 1959, P.85, Pl.17f.7-10 water from the leakage of pipe lines of waste water of Cells 6.1- 6.6 µ in diameter, spherical, without gas Thermal Power station, Deepnagar. During the study vacuoles. period, at number of places through the leakage of Habitat: Velhala Lake, V-I, March 2013, V-III, July, 2013, pipelines of water, ash water leaked out into rivulets of January, 2014. catchments area and finally gets contaminated into lake Microcystis viridis (A.Br.) Lemm. (Plate 1 F.5) water at this station. V-II station is near to village Velhala. Desikachary, 1959, P.87, Pl.18f.1-6 The water was utilized for bathing and washing clothes by Cells 3.33µ in diameter, spherical, with gas vacuoles. villagers. Cattle wadding were also observed during the Habitat: Velhala Lake, V-I, May, 2013, V-III January 2014. study period. V-III station is nearly 3 km away from the village. It was free from much contamination and human Chroococcus coharens (Breb.) Nag. (Plate 1 F.6) activities. Monthly collection of water and algae were made for Desikachary, 1959, P.111, Pl.26 f. 3-9 two years from June 2012 to May 2014. The algal samples Cells single or upto 2 – 8 in groups, without envelope 2.2µ were collected in the acid washed plastic collection in diameter and with sheath 2.5µ diameter sheath thin bottles and immediately preserved in 4% formalin for colorless, unlamellated. microscopic observations. The algae were identified by Habitat: Hartala Lake, H-I. March 2013. relevant monographs and recent available literature [1-6]. Chroococcus hansgirgi Schmidle ( Plate 1,F.7) RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Desikachary, 1959, P.85, Pl.105 During the present study 30 taxa recorded as Cells violet-blue, single spherical or oblong 7.2µ broad, members of family Chroococcaceae. Systematic 8.3µ long sheath thin hyaline, adhering, cell contents enumeration of members of family Chroococcaceae, homogeneous. their distribution, habitat and month of collection have Habitat: Velhala Lake, V-I, April, 2013, V II, January, 2014. been recorded. Chroococcus minimus (Keissler ) Lamm. (Plate 1, F.8) Cyanophyceae: Order-Chroococcales Desikachary, 1959, P.106 Family-Chroococcaceae Cells spherical or ellipsoid, generally in two or many in Microcystis aeruginosa Keutz. (Plate 1 F.1) spherical colonies, without sheath 2.2µ diameter, with sheath 3.8µ in diameter. Habitat: Velhala Lake, V-I, April, 2013, V II, Desikachary, 1959, P.93, Pl.17f.1.2.6 and Pl.18 f.10 December,2013, February 2014. Cells 3.33µ in diameter, spherical, generally with gas vacuoles. Chroococcus minutus (Kuetz.) Nag. (Plate 1, F.9) Habitat: Hartala lake, H-III. June 2012 Velhala Lake, V-I, November, 2012, February 2013. Desikachary, 1959, P.103,Pl.24,F.4 Cells with sheath 6.1 µ diameter and without sheath 4.4µ Microcystis flox-aquae (Wittr.) Kirchner (Plate 1 F.2) diameter sheath colorless. Habitat: Hartala Lake, H-2, June, 2012; Velhala Lake, VIII, Desikachary, 1959, P.94, Pl.17f.11 December, 2012. Cells 3.33µ in diameter, spherical, nanocyst present. Habitat: Velhala Lake, V-I, October, 2012, September 2012. Chroococcus montanus Hansgirg ( Plate 1, F.10) Microcystis marginata (Menegh.) Keutz. (Plate 1 F.3) Desikachary, 1959, P.108, Pl.26, F.12 Desikachary, 1959, P.87, Pl.17f.3-5 Thallus slimy, gelatinous, cells 4.9µ, broad 8.8µ long, Cells 5.5µ in diameter, closely arranged with gas vacuoles. single or 2-4, colonical sheath lamellose. Habitat: Velhala Lake, V-I, July 2013. Habitat: Hartala Lake, H-II, September 2012. 198 Europ. J. Biol. Sci., 7 (4): 197-202, 2015 Plate 1: 1.Microcystic aeroginosa Kuetz.2. M. Flox-aqu ( Wittr). Kirchn.3. M. Marginata (Mengegh.) Kuetz.4.M. robusta (clark) Nygaard 5.M. viridis (A. Br.) Lamm. 6. Chroococcus coharens( Breb.) Nag. 7. C. Hansgirgi Schmidi 8.C. minimus ( keissl.) Lamm. 9.C. minutes (kuetz) Nag.10.C. montanus Hansg. 11.C. varis A.Br. 12.Gloecapsa calcarea Tilden 13.G. kuetzingiana Nag.14.G. crepidinum Thuret15.G.punctata Nag. Scale bars A and B: 10µm scale A: Fig. 11. Scale B: Fig. 1-15. Chroococcus varius A.Br (Plate 1, F.11) Gloeocapsa calcarea Tilden (Plate 1, F.12) Desikachary, 1959, P.107, Pl.24, F.5 Desikachary, 1959, P.115,Pl. 24, F.6 Cells globular, without sheath 4µ, with sheath 5.95µ Cells with or without individual sheath, 6.6µ diameter. diameter sheath apparently thick, indistinctly lamellated, colorless. Habitat: Hartala Lake, H-II, October 2012. Habitat: Velhala Lake, V-II, June, 2012, July, 2012, July 2013. Gloeocapsa kuetzingiana Nag. (Plate 1, F.13) 199 Europ. J. Biol. Sci., 7 (4): 197-202, 2015 Desikachary, 1959, P.118, Pl.23, F.4 Cells ellipsoidal, without sheath 5.5µ broad, 8.8µ long, Cells without sheath 2.7-3.3µ diameter, with sheath upto with envelope 11.6u broad, 16.6V long sheath hyaline. 7.7µ diameter. Habitat: Velhala Lake, V-II, April, 2013. Habitat: Hartala Lake, H-II, July 2012, Velhala Lake, V-II, November, 2012, January, 2013. Aphanocapsa banaresensis Bharadwaja (Plate 2, F.5) Gloeocapsa Crepidium Thuret. (Plate 1, F.14) Desikachary, 1959, P.133 Cells oval or almost spherical 4.4µ in diameter. Desikachary, 1959, P.117, Pl.27, F.4,5 Habitat: Hartala Lake, H-I September, 2013. Cells in groups of 2-4, 23.8µ diameter Habitat: Hartala Lake, H-III, August 2012. Aphanocapsa Crassa Ghose (Plate 2, F.6) Gloeocapsa punctata Nag. (Plate 1, F.15) Cells spherical 8.3µ diameter. Habitat: Hartala Lake, H-I, March, 2013. Desikachary, 1959, P.115, Pl.23, F.2 Cells without sheath 1.6µ diameter with sheath 4.9µ Aphanocapsa grevilleri (Mass.) Rabenh.