Polarella

Polarella
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Clade: Diaphoretickes
Clade: SAR
Clade: Alveolata
Phylum: Myzozoa
Superclass: Dinoflagellata
Class: Dinophyceae
Order: Suessiales
Family: Suessiaceae
Genus: Polarella
M.Montresor, G.Procaccini & D.K.Stoecker
Species:
P. glacialis
Binomial name
Polarella glacialis
M.Montresor, G.Procaccini & D.K.Stoecker

Polarella is a dinoflagellate, and, when described in 1999, was the only extant genus of the Suessiaceae family.[1] Since then, multiple extant genera in the family have been described.[2] The genus was described in 1999 by Marina Montresor, Gabriele Procaccini, and Diane K. Stoecker, and contains only one species, Polarella glacialis. Polarella inhabits channels within ice formations in both the Arctic and Antarctic polar regions,[3] where it plays an important role as a primary producer.[4] Polarella is a thecate dinoflagellate, wherein the cell has an outer covering of cellulose plates, which are arranged in nine latitudinal series.[1] The general morphology of Polarella is similar to that of a typical dinoflagellate. and Polarella has a zygotic life history,[5] wherein it alternates between a motile vegetative phase and a non-motile spiny cyst.[1] While it is thought that the cysts of Polarella have lost their ability to form fossils, the cyst life cycle stage has acted as link to extinct members of the Suessiaceae family.[6]

  1. ^ a b c Montresor M, Procaccini G, Stoecker DK (1999). "Polarella glacialis, gen. nov., sp. nov.(Dinophyceae): Suessiaceae are still alive!". Journal of Phycology. 35 (1): 186–197. Bibcode:1999JPcgy..35..186M. doi:10.1046/j.1529-8817.1999.3510186.x. ISSN 0022-3646. S2CID 86739799.
  2. ^ Jang, Se Hyeon (2022-12-19). "Assessment of biodiversity, global distribution, and putative ecological niches of suessiacean dinoflagellates by DNA metabarcoding". Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. 10. doi:10.3389/fevo.2022.1010854. ISSN 2296-701X.
  3. ^ Montresor M, Lovejoy C, Orsini L, Procaccini G, Roy S (2003). "Bipolar distribution of the cyst-forming dinoflagellate Polarella glacialis". Polar Biology. 26 (3): 186–194. Bibcode:2003PoBio..26..186M. doi:10.1007/s00300-002-0473-9. ISSN 0722-4060. S2CID 9398519.
  4. ^ Stoecker DK, Gustafson DE, Baier CT, Black MM (2000). "Primary production in the upper sea ice". Aquatic Microbial Ecology. 21: 275–287. doi:10.3354/ame021275. ISSN 0948-3055.
  5. ^ Spector DL (1984). Dinoflagellates. Orlando: Academic Press. ISBN 0-12-656520-1. OCLC 10532888.
  6. ^ Bucefalo Palliani R, Riding JB (2003-06-01). "Umbriadinium and Polarella : an example of selectivity in the dinoflagellate fossil record". Grana. 42 (2): 108–111. doi:10.1080/00173130303933. ISSN 0017-3134.