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<front>
<journal-meta>
<journal-id journal-id-type="publisher-id">Front. Environ. Sci.</journal-id>
<journal-title>Frontiers in Environmental Science</journal-title>
<abbrev-journal-title abbrev-type="pubmed">Front. Environ. Sci.</abbrev-journal-title>
<issn pub-type="epub">2296-665X</issn>
<publisher>
<publisher-name>Frontiers Media S.A.</publisher-name>
</publisher>
</journal-meta>
<article-meta>
<article-id pub-id-type="publisher-id">1204787</article-id>
<article-id pub-id-type="doi">10.3389/fenvs.2023.1204787</article-id>
<article-categories>
<subj-group subj-group-type="heading">
<subject>Environmental Science</subject>
<subj-group>
<subject>Original Research</subject>
</subj-group>
</subj-group>
</article-categories>
<title-group>
<article-title>Molecular, morphological and ecological studies of <italic>Limnospira platensis</italic> (Cyanobacteria), from saline and alkaline lakes, Pantanal Biome, Brazil</article-title>
<alt-title alt-title-type="left-running-head">Santos et al.</alt-title>
<alt-title alt-title-type="right-running-head">
<ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2023.1204787">10.3389/fenvs.2023.1204787</ext-link>
</alt-title>
</title-group>
<contrib-group>
<contrib contrib-type="author" equal-contrib="yes">
<name>
<surname>Santos</surname>
<given-names>Kleber Renan de Souza</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1">
<sup>1</sup>
</xref>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff2">
<sup>2</sup>
</xref>
<xref ref-type="corresp" rid="c001">&#x2a;</xref>
<xref ref-type="author-notes" rid="fn001">
<sup>&#x2020;</sup>
</xref>
<uri xlink:href="https://loop.frontiersin.org/people/2282323/overview"/>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author" corresp="yes" equal-contrib="yes">
<name>
<surname>Hentschke</surname>
<given-names>Guilherme Scotta</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff3">
<sup>3</sup>
</xref>
<xref ref-type="corresp" rid="c001">&#x2a;</xref>
<xref ref-type="author-notes" rid="fn001">
<sup>&#x2020;</sup>
</xref>
<uri xlink:href="https://loop.frontiersin.org/people/2279736/overview"/>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author">
<name>
<surname>Ferrari</surname>
<given-names>Graciela</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff4">
<sup>4</sup>
</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author">
<name>
<surname>Andreote</surname>
<given-names>Ana Paula Dini</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff5">
<sup>5</sup>
</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author">
<name>
<surname>Fiore</surname>
<given-names>Marli de F&#xe1;tima</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff5">
<sup>5</sup>
</xref>
<uri xlink:href="https://loop.frontiersin.org/people/417850/overview"/>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author">
<name>
<surname>Vasconcelos</surname>
<given-names>Vitor</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff3">
<sup>3</sup>
</xref>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff6">
<sup>6</sup>
</xref>
<uri xlink:href="https://loop.frontiersin.org/people/162986/overview"/>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author">
<name>
<surname>Sant&#x2019;Anna</surname>
<given-names>C&#xe9;lia Leite</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff7">
<sup>7</sup>
</xref>
</contrib>
</contrib-group>
<aff id="aff1">
<sup>1</sup>
<institution>Centro Universit&#xe1;rio Leonardo da Vinci&#x2014;Uniasselvi</institution>, <addr-line>Indaial</addr-line>, <country>Brazil</country>
</aff>
<aff id="aff2">
<sup>2</sup>
<institution>Funda&#x00E7;&#x00E3;o Universidade Regional de Blumenau (FURB)</institution>, <addr-line>Blumenau</addr-line>, <country>Brazil</country>
</aff>
<aff id="aff3">
<sup>3</sup>
<institution>Centro Interdisciplinar de Investiga&#xe7;&#xe3;o Marinha e Ambiental (CIIMAR)</institution>, <institution>Blue Biotechnology and Ecotoxicology Laboratory</institution>, <addr-line>Matosinhos</addr-line>, <country>Portugal</country>
</aff>
<aff id="aff4">
<sup>4</sup>
<institution>Laboratorio Tecnologico del Uruguay (LATU)</institution>, <addr-line>Montevideo</addr-line>, <country>Uruguay</country>
</aff>
<aff id="aff5">
<sup>5</sup>
<institution>Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura (CENA)</institution>, <institution>Universidade de S&#xe3;o Paulo (USP)</institution>, <addr-line>Piracicaba</addr-line>, <country>Brazil</country>
</aff>
<aff id="aff6">
<sup>6</sup>
<institution>Faculdade de Ci&#x00EA;ncias</institution>, <institution>Universidade do Porto</institution>, <addr-line>Porto</addr-line>, <country>Portugal</country>
</aff>
<aff id="aff7">
<sup>7</sup>
<institution>Instituto de Pesquisas Ambientais (IPA)</institution>, <addr-line>S&#xe3;o Paulo</addr-line>, <country>Brazil</country>
</aff>
<author-notes>
<fn fn-type="edited-by">
<p>
<bold>Edited by:</bold> <ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="https://loop.frontiersin.org/people/609497/overview">Allan Douglas Cembella</ext-link>, Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), Germany</p>
</fn>
<fn fn-type="edited-by">
<p>
<bold>Reviewed by:</bold> <ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="https://loop.frontiersin.org/people/455040/overview">Prashant Kumar Singh</ext-link>, Mizoram University, India</p>
<p>
<ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="https://loop.frontiersin.org/people/694524/overview">Itzel Becerra-Absal&#xf3;n</ext-link>, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico</p>
</fn>
<corresp id="c001">&#x2a;Correspondence: Guilherme Scotta Hentschke, <email>guilherme.scotta@gmail.com</email>; Kleber Renan de Souza Santos, <email>santoskrs@gmail.com</email>
</corresp>
<fn fn-type="equal" id="fn001">
<label>
<sup>&#x2020;</sup>
</label>
<p>These authors share first authorship</p>
</fn>
</author-notes>
<pub-date pub-type="epub">
<day>25</day>
<month>09</month>
<year>2023</year>
</pub-date>
<pub-date pub-type="collection">
<year>2023</year>
</pub-date>
<volume>11</volume>
<elocation-id>1204787</elocation-id>
<history>
<date date-type="received">
<day>12</day>
<month>04</month>
<year>2023</year>
</date>
<date date-type="accepted">
<day>07</day>
<month>09</month>
<year>2023</year>
</date>
</history>
<permissions>
<copyright-statement>Copyright &#xa9; 2023 Santos, Hentschke, Ferrari, Andreote, Fiore, Vasconcelos and Sant&#x2019;Anna.</copyright-statement>
<copyright-year>2023</copyright-year>
<copyright-holder>Santos, Hentschke, Ferrari, Andreote, Fiore, Vasconcelos and Sant&#x2019;Anna</copyright-holder>
<license xlink:href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">
<p>This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.</p>
</license>
</permissions>
<abstract>
<p>We studied nineteen populations of <italic>A. platensis</italic> (Microcoleaceae, Cyanobacteria), from Pantanal (Brazil) shallow, saline and alkaline lakes. The lakes are connected to the Paran&#xe1; and Paraguay Rivers Basins, and during wet seasons, the waters flow towards La Plata River estuary. Morphology of natural populations and cultures were analyzed using optical microscope, and 16S rDNA sequences were used for the BI and ML phylogenetic analysis. The morphological analysis shows that our populations fit in the original description of <italic>A. platensis</italic>, but with additional aerotopes. Also, it is evident that these structures are facultative and the species is planktonic, rather than benthic without aerotopes, as originally described. The phylogenetic analysis shows our strains in the monophyletic <italic>Limnospira</italic> clade. Considering that, in this paper we transfer the species <italic>A. platensis</italic> to the genus <italic>Limnospira</italic>, based on phylogenetic and morphological data. This new taxonomical combination is supported also by ecological data, and indicates that the species is more related and abundant in Pantanal, than in La Plata Basin, region from where it was originally described. According to our results, <italic>L. platensis</italic> is planktonic or benthic and typical from saline, alkaline and warm waters.</p>
</abstract>
<kwd-group>
<kwd>salines</kwd>
<kwd>extreme environments</kwd>
<kwd>biodiversity</kwd>
<kwd>polyphasic approach</kwd>
<kwd>new combination</kwd>
</kwd-group>
<custom-meta-wrap>
<custom-meta>
<meta-name>section-at-acceptance</meta-name>
<meta-value>Freshwater Science</meta-value>
</custom-meta>
</custom-meta-wrap>
</article-meta>
</front>
<body>
<sec id="s1">
<title>1 Introduction</title>
<p>
<italic>Arthrospira platensis</italic> (Nodst.) Gomont is a Cyanobacteria largely used in industrial scale, as a food supplement, under the commercial name &#x201c;Spirulina&#x201d;. Although it is one of the most studied Cyanobacteria, due to its economic importance, its taxonomy is still controversial (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B16">Nowicka-Krawczyk et al., 2019</xref>). In an important taxonomic revision of the genus <italic>Arthrospira</italic> (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B11">Kom&#xe1;rek and Lund, 1990</xref>), the authors included <italic>Spirulina maxima</italic> and <italic>S. fusiformis</italic> in the planktonic forms (with aerotopes) of <italic>Arthrospira</italic>, as <italic>A. maxima</italic> Setchell et Gardner and <italic>A. fusiformis</italic> (Voronichin) Kom&#xe1;rek et Lund. Based on an exsiccate of the type material of <italic>A. platensis</italic>, held at the British Museum of Natural History, the authors considered this species as benthic, without aerotopes. Some authors disagree and argue that aerotopes are lost in dry material (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B24">Tomaselli, 1997</xref>) and that the Gomont iconotype does not show all the morphological variability of the species. Because of that, <italic>A. platensis</italic> hypothetically could present aerotopes and be planktonic.</p>
<p>In this paper, we extensively studied nineteen <italic>A. platensis</italic> populations from saline and alkaline lakes of Pantanal da Nhecol&#xe2;ndia, Brazil. The Pantanal Biome is located in the center of South America and is the greatest wetland in the planet (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B2">Allem and Valls, 1987</xref>). In the sub-region Pantanal da Nhecol&#xe2;ndia, the presence of thousands of shallow lakes (maximum 2&#xa0;m depth), predominantly rounded are remarkable. These lakes are commonly dominated by cyanobacterial blooms of <italic>A. platensis</italic> and <italic>Anabaenopsis elenkinii</italic> Miller. The populations of <italic>A. platensis</italic> in our samples, fit in the original description of the species, but present facultative aerotopes and are phylogenetic related to the genus <italic>Limnospira</italic> Nowicka-Krawczyk <italic>et al.</italic> Consequently, based on phylogenetic, morphological and ecological data, in this paper we propose to transfer <italic>A. platensis</italic> to the genus <italic>Limnospira</italic>.</p>
</sec>
<sec sec-type="materials|methods" id="s2">
<title>2 Materials and methods</title>
<sec id="s2-1">
<title>2.1 Sampling and physicochemical water parameters</title>
<p>Nineteen water samples were collected in dry and wet seasons from 2004 to 2012, by immersing bottles, in &#x201c;Pantanal da Nhecol&#xe2;ndia&#x201d;, Brazil, lakes. Located between Paran&#xe1; and Paraguay Rivers, the region is characterized by the presence of thousands of shallow lakes (<xref ref-type="fig" rid="F1">Figure 1</xref>) with alkaline (pH 9&#x2013;11) and saline waters with high conductivity (&#x3e;2000&#xa0;&#x3bc;S&#xa0;cm<sup>-1</sup>), dominated by the Cyanobacteria <italic>A. elenkinii</italic> and &#x201c;<italic>A. platensis</italic>&#x201d;. The lakes are part of the Paraguay River Basin, which is composed by the Paraguay-Paran&#xe1;-Plata Rivers systems. During the wet seasons, the lakes are connected to this system and the waters flow towards La Plata River estuary (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B20">Santos and Sant&#x2019;Anna, 2010</xref>).</p>
<fig id="F1" position="float">
<label>FIGURE 1</label>
<caption>
<p>
<bold>(A)</bold> General view of Pantanal da Nhecol&#x00E2;ndia lakes, <bold>(B)</bold> Salina do Meio in Nhumirim Farm (Credits: <bold>(A)</bold>. A.Y. Sakamoto 2001, <bold>(B)</bold> A. Pott, In: <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B26">Pott and Pott, 2000</xref>).</p>
</caption>
<graphic xlink:href="fenvs-11-1204787-g001.tif"/>
</fig>
<p>For the qualitative analysis of <italic>A. platensis</italic> natural populations, parts of the samples were preserved with 4% formalin and later included in the collection of the State Scientific Herbarium &#x201c;Maria Eneida P. Kauffman Fidalgo&#x201d; (SP), in the Institute of Botany, S&#xe3;o Paulo, Brazil. For the isolation of strains, the samples were kept under refrigeration in a Styrofoam box with ice, and then transported to the laboratory of the Institute of Botany. The isolation was made using microscope and a micropipette to transfer individuals to tubes with BG-11 (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B22">Stanier et al., 1971</xref>) liquid media, adjusted to pH 9.5 with NaOH (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B19">Santos et al., 2011</xref>). The three isolate strains were included in the Institute of Botany Culture Collection (CCIBt), S&#xe3;o Paulo, Brazil, and kept under controlled conditions: temperature 23&#xb0;C, irradiance 40&#x2013;50&#xa0;&#x3bc;mol photons m <sup>-2</sup> s <sup>-1</sup>, photoperiod 14-10&#xa0;h light-dark, and transferred to new flasks every 40 days. In the studied lakes, the parameters temperature, salinity, conductivity and pH were measured with a WTW 340i probe.</p>
</sec>
<sec id="s2-2">
<title>2.2 Morphological analysis</title>
<p>Morphological analysis was performed based on nature material using optical microscope. The following characters were analyzed: 1) general trichome morphology and measurements; 2) apical cells morphology and measurements; 3) cells morphology and measurements; 4) number of spirals per trichome; 5) spirals height; 6) distance between spirals; 7) presence of aerotopes; 8) presence of mucilaginous envelope using China Ink.</p>
</sec>
<sec id="s2-3">
<title>2.3 Molecular analysis</title>
<sec id="s2-3-1">
<title>2.3.1 DNA extraction, PCR amplification and sequencing</title>
<p>DNA extraction was performed according to (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B4">Fiore et al., 2000</xref>). The 16S rDNA and the 16S-23S ITS region amplification was performed using the primers 27F1 (5&#x2032;-AGA&#x200b;GTT&#x200b;TGA&#x200b;TCC&#x200b;TGC&#x200b;TCA&#x200b;G-3&#x2032;) (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B15">Neilan et al., 1997</xref>), and 23S30R (5&#x2032;-CTT&#x200b;CGC&#x200b;CTC&#x200b;TGT&#x200b;GTG&#x200b;CCT&#x200b;AGG&#x200b;T-3&#x2032;) (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B13">Lep&#xe8;re et al., 2000</xref>) under the following conditions: Heat 94&#xb0;C/5&#xa0;min; 10 cycles 94&#xb0;C/45s, 57&#xb0;C/45s, 72&#xb0;C/2min; 25 cycles 94&#xb0;C/45s, 54&#xb0;C/45s, 72&#xb0;C/2min and final extension 72&#xb0;C/7min, and then sequenced. The inserts were cloned into &#x201c;pGEM&#xae;-T Easy Vector Systems&#x201d; (Promega, Madison, WI, EUA), pGEM&#xae;&#x2013;T Easy Vector System (Promega, Madison, WI, United States) according to the supplier&#x2019;s manual, cloned by heat&#x2013;shock in <italic>E. coli</italic> DH5&#x3b1; cells and plated for blue&#x2013;white selection (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B18">Sambrook et al., 1989</xref>). Three white colonies for each strain were selected and the plasmid extractions were performed by the alkaline lysis method (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B3">Birnboim and Doly, 1979</xref>). The gene was sequenced using &#x201c;Big Dye Terminator&#x201d; version 3.0 (Applied Biosystems) with the plasmid primers T7 and M13 and the internal primers 357F/357R, 704F/704R and 1114F/1114R (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B12">Lane, 1991</xref>). The sequences were deposited in NCBI under the accession numbers: <italic>Arthrospira</italic> SM CCIBt3335 (OR142670), <italic>Arthrospira</italic> IP CCIBt3336 (OR142671) and <italic>Arthrospira</italic> PSol CCIBt3254 (OR142672).</p>
</sec>
<sec id="s2-3-2">
<title>2.3.2 Phylogenetic analysis</title>
<p>The 16S rDNA sequences obtained in this study were aligned using ClustalW, in MEGA11: Molecular Evolutionary Genetics Analysis version 11 (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B23">Tamura et al., 2021</xref>), with Cyanobacteria reference sequences of Microcoleaceae, Oscillatoriaceae and Desertifilaceae, retrieved from GenBank. The final dataset contained 42 sequences with 1,247 informative sites. The phylogenetic trees were built using Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Inference analysis. GTR &#x2b; G &#x2b; I evolutionary model was selected by MEGA 11. The robustness of ML tree was estimated by bootstrap percentages, using 1,000 replications using IQ-Tree online version v1.6.12 (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B25">Trifinopoulos et al., 2016</xref>). Bayesian trees were constructed in two independent runs, with four chains each, for 5 &#xd7; 10<sup>6</sup> generations, burnin fraction set to 0.25, sample frequency 1,000, using MrBayes (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B17">Ronquist et al., 2012</xref>) in Cipres Gateway (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B14">Miller et al., 2010</xref>).</p>
</sec>
</sec>
</sec>
<sec sec-type="results" id="s3">
<title>3 Results</title>
<sec id="s3-1">
<title>3.1 Phyloegenetic analysis</title>
<p>The Bayesian Inference Phylogeny (<xref ref-type="fig" rid="F2">Figure 2</xref>) (average standard deviation of split frequencies: 0.0095), shows strong backbone support and shows our strains <italic>L. platensis</italic> CCIBt3335, CCIBt3336 and CCIBt3254 strongly supported (BI &#x3d; 1) in the monophyletic <italic>Limnospira</italic> clade (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B16">Nowicka-Krawczyk et al., 2019</xref>), close related to the Microcoleaceae genera <italic>Neolyngbya</italic>, <italic>Lyngbya, Capilliphycus</italic> and <italic>Limnoraphis</italic> (BI &#x3d; 1), and distant from the <italic>Arthrospira</italic> clade, represented by the reference strains <italic>A. jenneri</italic> A10 MDA (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B16">Nowicka-Krawczyk et al., 2019</xref>). The Maximum Likelihood phylogeny (<xref ref-type="fig" rid="F3">Figure 3</xref>), although presents weak backbone support, corroborates with the BI phylogeny, showing Pantanal strains in the <italic>Limnospira</italic> clade (boostrap 99), again related to that same Microcoleaceae genera. In both BI and ML trees <italic>Arthrospira</italic> clade is related to <italic>Microcoleus, Tychonema</italic> and <italic>Okeania</italic>.</p>
<fig id="F2" position="float">
<label>FIGURE 2</label>
<caption>
<p>16S rDNA Bayesian phylogenetic analysis. Posterior probabilities are indicated at nodes.</p>
</caption>
<graphic xlink:href="fenvs-11-1204787-g002.tif"/>
</fig>
<fig id="F3" position="float">
<label>FIGURE 3</label>
<caption>
<p>16S rDNA Maximum Likelihood phylogenetic analysis. Bootstrap support is indicated at nodes.</p>
</caption>
<graphic xlink:href="fenvs-11-1204787-g003.tif"/>
</fig>
</sec>
<sec id="s3-2">
<title>3.2 Description of species</title>
<p>
<italic>Limnospira platensis</italic> (Gomont) K. R. S. Santos and G. S. Hentschke comb. nov. (<xref ref-type="fig" rid="F4">Figures 4</xref>&#x2013;<xref ref-type="fig" rid="F6">6</xref>).</p>
<fig id="F4" position="float">
<label>FIGURE 4</label>
<caption>
<p>
<bold>(A&#x2013;D)</bold> General aspect of regularly coiled trichomes with aerotopes, <bold>(E)</bold> Trichome without aerotopes, <bold>(F)</bold> Hormogonia with granulose protoplasm and without aerotopes. Scales &#x3d; 10&#xa0;&#xb5;m.</p>
</caption>
<graphic xlink:href="fenvs-11-1204787-g004.tif"/>
</fig>
<fig id="F5" position="float">
<label>FIGURE 5</label>
<caption>
<p>
<bold>(A&#x2013;F)</bold> Life cycle of <italic>L. platensis</italic>, <bold>(A)</bold> Hormogonia in nature (Salina do Meio), <bold>(B, C)</bold> Hormogonia in culture, <bold>(D)</bold> Adult trichome in culture, <bold>(E)</bold> Trichome with necridium (arrow), <bold>(F)</bold> Trichome broken at necridium, <bold>(G, H)</bold> Trichome in culture.</p>
</caption>
<graphic xlink:href="fenvs-11-1204787-g005.tif"/>
</fig>
<fig id="F6" position="float">
<label>FIGURE 6</label>
<caption>
<p>
<bold>(A&#x2013;D)</bold> Morphological variability of <italic>L. platensis</italic> from Pantanal da Nhecol&#xe2;ndia, <bold>(A, B)</bold> Trichomes with granulose protoplasm, slightly widened and narrowed apexes, <bold>(C)</bold> Trichome with mucilaginous envelope (rare), <bold>(D)</bold> Regularly coiled trichome, with aerotopes (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B20">Santos and Sant&#x2019;Anna, 2010</xref>), <bold>(E)</bold> Original illustration of <italic>A. platensis</italic> (iconotype) showing trichome with rounded terminal cells, without calyptra (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B6">Gomont, 1892</xref>, pl. 7, fig. 27), <bold>(F)</bold> Original illustration of <italic>A. maxima</italic> (iconotype) showing trichome with calyptra (arrows) (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B5">Gardner, 1917</xref>, pl. 33, <xref ref-type="fig" rid="F3">Figure 3</xref>). Scales &#x3d; 10&#xa0;&#xb5;m.</p>
</caption>
<graphic xlink:href="fenvs-11-1204787-g006.tif"/>
</fig>
<p>Basonym: <italic>A. platensis</italic> <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B6">Gomont 1892</xref>: 247, pl. VII: fig. 27.</p>
<p>Published in: Gomont, M. (1892&#x2032;1893&#x2032;). Monographie des Oscillari&#xe9;es (Nostocac&#xe9;es Homocyst&#xe9;es). Deuxi&#xe8;me partie&#x2014;Lyngby&#xe9;es. Annales des Sciences Naturelles, Botanique, S&#xe9;rie 7 16: 91-264, pls 1-7.</p>
<p>Trichomes solitary, regularly coiled when adult, constricted or not, 35-151 (&#x2212;371)&#xa0;&#x3bc;m long, rarely with mucilaginous envelope. Spirals height 16&#x2013;32.4&#xa0;&#x3bc;m; distance between spirals 22&#x2013;40.6&#xa0;&#x3bc;m. Cells shorter than wide (rarely longer than wide), 1.7&#x2013;5.3 (&#x2212;9)&#xa0;&#x3bc;m long and 4&#x2013;7.8&#xa0;&#x3bc;m wide. Ratio L/W &#x3d; 0.5-1.3. Apical cells rounded, slightly narrowed (rarely widened). Cell content blue-green, granulose, with facultative aerotopes.</p>
<p>Habitat: Saline and alkaline lakes, planktonic and more rarely benthic (part of the life cycle).</p>
<p>Reference strain: <italic>Arthrospira</italic> PSol CCIBt3254 (OR142672)</p>
<p>Studied material: BRAZIL. Mato Grosso do Sul: Corumb&#xe1;, Pantanal da Nhecol&#xe2;ndia, Salina do Meio, 09/25/2005, K.R.S. Santos and C.F.S. Malone (SP390917), 04/22/2006, K.R.S. Santos (SP390919), 08/28/2006, K.R.S. Santos (SP390922), 05/04/2007, K.R.S. Santos (SP390927), 08/19/2009, K.R.S. Santos (SP400654), 10/27/2011, K.R.S. Santos (SP427290), 05/06/2012, C.F.S. Malone and C.L. Sant&#x2019;Anna (SP427740); Salina Pantanal, 08/16/2009, K.R.S. Santos (SP427747); Salina da Reserva, 08/19/2009, K.R.S. Santos (SP401692), 05/06/2012, C.F.S. Malone and C.L. Sant&#x2019;Anna (SP427741); Salina da Ponta, 08/19/2009, K.R.S. Santos (SP401691); Salina Pedra do Sol, 08/26/2006, K.R.S. Santos (SP427742), 11/16/2006, K.R.S. Santos (SP427743.</p>
<p>Comments: <italic>L. platensis</italic> is morphologically different from the other species of the genus, <italic>L. fusiformis</italic>, <italic>L. indica</italic> and <italic>L. maxima</italic>. <italic>L. platensis</italic> is the only species of the genus without calyptra. Furthermore, <italic>L. fusiformis</italic> presents irregular spirals, while the spirals of <italic>L. platensis</italic> are regular. Although the presence of calyptra in <italic>L. maxima</italic>, this is the most similar species to <italic>A. platensis</italic> and the differences are discussed below. According to <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B9">Kom&#xe1;rek and Anagnostidis (2005)</xref>, the relations between <italic>L. maxima</italic> and <italic>L. indica</italic> are unclear, and maybe these species are synonyms. When comparing our <italic>L. platensis</italic> cultures with the nature material, we did not find significative morphological differences between them.</p>
</sec>
<sec id="s3-3">
<title>3.3 Occurrence of <italic>L. platensis</italic> and physicochemical parameters</title>
<p>
<italic>L. platensis</italic> was found forming blooms with <italic>A. elenkinii</italic> Miller in saline and alkaline lakes in &#x201c;Pantanal da Nhecol&#xe2;ndia&#x201d;. <xref ref-type="table" rid="T1">Table 1</xref> shows all the studied samples and the respective physicochemical parameters. The species occurred in Pantanal saline lakes with pH ranging from 9.2 to 10.2, electrical conductivity from 716 to 19020&#xa0;&#x3bc;S&#xa0;cm<sup>-1</sup> and temperature from 22.8 to 33.3&#xb0;C. In Lagoa Salitrada Campo Dora the species was registered only once, in the dry season (pH 8.4, electrical conductivity 1852&#xa0;&#x3bc;S&#xa0;cm<sup>-1</sup> and temperature 32&#xb0;C). These data evidence the dependence of the alkaline pH, high electrical conductivity and warm temperatures for the growing of <italic>L. platensis</italic>. These conditions also indicate that high nutrient levels are fundamental for the species.</p>
<table-wrap id="T1" position="float">
<label>TABLE 1</label>
<caption>
<p>Sampling location, geographical coordinates, Herbarium identification and physicochemical parameters of Pantanal da Nhecol&#xe2;ndia lakes.</p>
</caption>
<table>
<thead valign="top">
<tr>
<th align="center">Lake</th>
<th align="center">Coordinates</th>
<th align="center">Herbarium ID</th>
<th align="center">Sampling date</th>
<th align="center">pH</th>
<th align="center">Electrical conductivity (&#xb5;S/cm)</th>
<th align="center">Temp. (&#xb0;C)</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody valign="top">
<tr>
<td align="left">Salina do Meio</td>
<td align="center">18&#xb0;58&#x2032;29&#x2033;S, 56&#xb0;38&#x2032;47&#x2033;W</td>
<td align="center">SP400654</td>
<td align="center">19/08/2009</td>
<td align="center">9.47</td>
<td align="center">10,600</td>
<td align="center">32.5</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">Salina do Meio</td>
<td align="center">18&#xb0;58&#x2032;29&#x2033;S, 56&#xb0;38&#x2032;47&#x2033;W</td>
<td align="center">SP427290</td>
<td align="center">27/10/2011</td>
<td align="center">9.89</td>
<td align="center">4,060</td>
<td align="center">29.7</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">Salina do Meio</td>
<td align="center">18&#xb0;58&#x2032;29&#x2033;S, 56&#xb0;38&#x2032;47&#x2033;W</td>
<td align="center">SP427740</td>
<td align="center">06/05/2012</td>
<td align="center">9.64</td>
<td align="center">8,770</td>
<td align="center">-</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">Salina do Meio</td>
<td align="center">18&#xb0;58&#x2032;29&#x2033;S, 56&#xb0;38&#x2032;47&#x2033;W</td>
<td align="center">SP390917</td>
<td align="center">25/09/2005</td>
<td align="center">9.85</td>
<td align="center">19,020</td>
<td align="center">23.3</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">Salina do Meio</td>
<td align="center">18&#xb0;58&#x2032;29&#x2033;S, 56&#xb0;38&#x2032;47&#x2033;W</td>
<td align="center">SP390919</td>
<td align="center">22/04/2006</td>
<td align="center">10.16</td>
<td align="center">2,870</td>
<td align="center">33.3</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">Salina do Meio</td>
<td align="center">18&#xb0;58&#x2032;29&#x2033;S, 56&#xb0;38&#x2032;47&#x2033;W</td>
<td align="center">SP390922</td>
<td align="center">28/08/2006</td>
<td align="center">10.09</td>
<td align="center">12,070</td>
<td align="center">24.7</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">Salina do Meio</td>
<td align="center">18&#xb0;58&#x2032;29&#x2033;S, 56&#xb0;38&#x2032;47&#x2033;W</td>
<td align="center">SP390927</td>
<td align="center">04/05/2007</td>
<td align="center">10.19</td>
<td align="center">3,890</td>
<td align="center">31.0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">Salina da Reserva</td>
<td align="center">18&#xb0;57&#x2032;35&#x2033;S, 56&#xb0;37&#x2032;18&#x2033;W</td>
<td align="center">SP400842</td>
<td align="center">09/05/2005</td>
<td align="center">-</td>
<td align="center">2,380</td>
<td align="center">22.9</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">Salina da Reserva</td>
<td align="center">18&#xb0;57&#x2032;35&#x2033;S, 56&#xb0;37&#x2032;18&#x2033;W</td>
<td align="center">SP401692</td>
<td align="center">19/08/2009</td>
<td align="center">9.68</td>
<td align="center">11,040</td>
<td align="center">34.1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">Salina da Reserva</td>
<td align="center">18&#xb0;57&#x2032;35&#x2033;S, 56&#xb0;37&#x2032;18&#x2033;W</td>
<td align="center">SP427741</td>
<td align="center">06/05/2012</td>
<td align="center">10.10</td>
<td align="center">5,435</td>
<td align="center">-</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">Salina da Ponta</td>
<td align="center">18&#xb0;58&#x2032;56&#x2033;S, 56&#xb0;39&#x2032;33&#x2033;W</td>
<td align="center">SP400843</td>
<td align="center">25/09/2005</td>
<td align="center">9.9</td>
<td align="center">5,790</td>
<td align="center">23.8</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">Salina da Ponta</td>
<td align="center">18&#xb0;58&#x2032;56&#x2033;S, 56&#xb0;39&#x2032;33&#x2033;W</td>
<td align="center">SP400845</td>
<td align="center">22/04/2006</td>
<td align="center">9.8</td>
<td align="center">864</td>
<td align="center">32.8</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">Salina da Ponta</td>
<td align="center">18&#xb0;58&#x2032;56&#x2033;S, 56&#xb0;39&#x2032;33&#x2033;W</td>
<td align="center">SP400487</td>
<td align="center">28/08/2006</td>
<td align="center">9.8</td>
<td align="center">8,970</td>
<td align="center">22.8</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">Salina da Ponta</td>
<td align="center">18&#xb0;58&#x2032;56&#x2033;S, 56&#xb0;39&#x2032;33&#x2033;W</td>
<td align="center">SP400849</td>
<td align="center">17/11/2006</td>
<td align="center">9.9</td>
<td align="center">716</td>
<td align="center">30.8</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">Salina da Ponta</td>
<td align="center">18&#xb0;58&#x2032;56&#x2033;S, 56&#xb0;39&#x2032;33&#x2033;W</td>
<td align="center">SP401691</td>
<td align="center">19/08/2009</td>
<td align="center">9.22</td>
<td align="center">8,130</td>
<td align="center">30.4</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">Salina Pedra do Sol</td>
<td align="center">19&#xb0;10&#x2032;36&#x2033;S, 56&#xb0;57&#x2032;44&#x2033;W</td>
<td align="center">SP427742</td>
<td align="center">26/08/2006</td>
<td align="center">10.06</td>
<td align="center">2,100</td>
<td align="center">28.0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">Salina Pedra do Sol</td>
<td align="center">19&#xb0;10&#x2032;36&#x2033;S, 56&#xb0;57&#x2032;44&#x2033;W</td>
<td align="center">SP427743</td>
<td align="center">16/11/2006</td>
<td align="center">10.23</td>
<td align="center">12,200</td>
<td align="center">32.0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">Salina Pantanal</td>
<td align="center">18&#xb0;55&#x2032;40&#x2033;S, 56&#xb0;33&#x2032;03&#x2033;W</td>
<td align="center">SP427747</td>
<td align="center">16/08/2009</td>
<td align="center">-</td>
<td align="center">-</td>
<td align="center">-</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">Salitrada Campo Dora</td>
<td align="center">18&#xb0;58&#x2032;05&#x2033;S, 56&#xb0;38&#x2032;58&#x2033;W</td>
<td align="center">SP390925</td>
<td align="center">16/11/2006</td>
<td align="center">8.42</td>
<td align="center">1852</td>
<td align="center">32.0</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</table-wrap>
</sec>
</sec>
<sec sec-type="discussion" id="s4">
<title>4 Discussion</title>
<p>
<italic>Arthrospira</italic> and <italic>Limnospira</italic> are monophyletic genera, morphologically distinguished from each other by the presence of aerotopes in <italic>Limnospira</italic> (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B16">Nowicka-Krawczyk et al., 2019</xref>). Aerotopes were commonly observed in our nature samples and isolate strains, and we also observed that this character was facultative in all or our samples and cultures. Apart of the facultative aerotopes, our specimens fit perfectly in the original description of <italic>A. platensis</italic> (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B6">Gomont, 1892</xref>). <xref ref-type="fig" rid="F5">Figure 5</xref> and <xref ref-type="table" rid="T2">Table 2</xref> summarize the morphological similarity between our populations and <italic>A. platensis,</italic> and show the differences between this species and <italic>L. maxima, A. platensis</italic> presents smaller trichomes and the terminal cells lack calyptra, while <italic>L. maxima</italic> presents larger trichomes and presents calyptra at the terminal cells.</p>
<table-wrap id="T2" position="float">
<label>TABLE 2</label>
<caption>
<p>Morphological characters of <italic>&#x201c;A. platensis&#x201d;</italic> and its most similar species <italic>A. maxima</italic> according to different authors.</p>
</caption>
<table>
<thead valign="top">
<tr>
<th align="center">Species</th>
<th align="center">Aerotopes/habit</th>
<th align="center">Trichome constriction</th>
<th align="center">Trichome apex</th>
<th align="center">Trichome width (&#xb5;m)</th>
<th align="center">Cell length (&#xb5;m)</th>
<th align="center">Spirals height (&#xb5;m)</th>
<th align="center">Distance between spirals (&#xb5;m)</th>
<th align="center">Location and sampling date</th>
<th align="center">Figure</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody valign="top">
<tr>
<td align="left">
<italic>A. platensis</italic> (Nordstedt) <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B6">Gomont (1892)</xref> original description</td>
<td align="left">?/?</td>
<td align="left">Slightly constrict</td>
<td align="left">Slightly or not narrowed. Rounded, without calyptra</td>
<td align="left">6&#x2013;8</td>
<td align="left">2&#x2013;6</td>
<td align="left">26&#x2013;36</td>
<td align="left">43&#x2013;57</td>
<td align="left">Montevideo, Uruguay, 1884</td>
<td align="left">
<inline-graphic xlink:href="FENVS_fenvs-2023-1204787_wc_tfx1.tif"/>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">
<italic>A. platensis</italic> sensu <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B20">Santos and Sant&#x2019;Anna (2010)</xref> and present study</td>
<td align="left">Facultative/planktonic</td>
<td align="left">Constrict or not</td>
<td align="left">Slightly or not narrowed. Rounded without calyptra</td>
<td align="left">4&#x2013;7.8</td>
<td align="left">1.7&#x2013;5.3 (9)</td>
<td align="left">16.0&#x2013;32.4</td>
<td align="left">22.0&#x2013;40.6</td>
<td align="left">Saline lakes at Pantanal da Nhecol&#xe2;ndia, Brazil; 2004&#x2013;2012</td>
<td align="left">
<inline-graphic xlink:href="FENVS_fenvs-2023-1204787_wc_tfx2.tif"/>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">
<italic>A. platensis</italic> sensu <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B9">Kom&#xe1;rek and Anagnostidis (2005)</xref>
</td>
<td align="left">Absent/periphytic, benthic</td>
<td align="left">Slightly constrict</td>
<td align="left">Slightly or not narrowed. Rouded with calyptra</td>
<td align="left">(4) 6-7 (9?)</td>
<td align="left">-</td>
<td align="left">(20?) 26-36</td>
<td align="left">(24?) 30-57</td>
<td align="left">South America</td>
<td align="left">
<inline-graphic xlink:href="FENVS_fenvs-2023-1204787_wc_tfx3.tif"/>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">
<italic>A. platensis</italic> sensu <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B11">Kom&#xe1;rek and Lund 1990</xref>
</td>
<td align="left">Absent/benthic</td>
<td align="left">Slightly constrict</td>
<td align="left">Slightly narrowed</td>
<td align="left">(4) 6-7 (8?)</td>
<td align="left">-</td>
<td align="left">26&#x2013;36</td>
<td align="left">30&#x2013;57</td>
<td align="left">South America</td>
<td align="left">
<inline-graphic xlink:href="FENVS_fenvs-2023-1204787_wc_tfx4.tif"/>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">
<italic>Arthrospira maxima</italic> <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B5">Gardner (1917)</xref>
</td>
<td align="left">Present/planktonic</td>
<td align="left">Not constrict</td>
<td align="left">Slightly narrowed with calyptra</td>
<td align="left">7&#x2013;9</td>
<td align="left">5&#x2013;7</td>
<td align="left">40&#x2013;60</td>
<td align="left">70&#x2013;80</td>
<td align="left">Warm saline lakes at South California, Key Route Power-house, Oakland (United States of America) 1916</td>
<td align="left">
<inline-graphic xlink:href="FENVS_fenvs-2023-1204787_wc_tfx5.tif"/>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">
<italic>Arthrospira maxima</italic> sensu <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B10">Kom&#xe1;rek and Kom&#xe1;rkov&#xe1;-Legnerov&#xe1; (2002)</xref>
</td>
<td align="left">Present/planktonic</td>
<td align="left">Slightly or not constrict</td>
<td align="left">Slightly or not narrowed with calyptra</td>
<td align="left">8-(12)</td>
<td align="left">Shorter than wide, rarely isodiametric</td>
<td align="left">(34.5)-51</td>
<td align="left">&#xb1;(34.5)-51</td>
<td align="left">Vulcanic alkaline lakes at Atlacoya (Tecuitlapa) e El Rincon de Parangueo, M&#xe9;xico; 1992-1993</td>
<td align="left">
<inline-graphic xlink:href="FENVS_fenvs-2023-1204787_wc_tfx6.tif"/>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<table-wrap-foot>
<fn>
<p>?&#x3d;not reported.</p>
</fn>
</table-wrap-foot>
</table-wrap>
<p>According to the original description, based on an herbarium exsiccate, <italic>A. platensis</italic> presents cylindrical trichomes, not narrowed toward the ends or slightly narrowed, 6&#x2013;8&#xa0;&#x3bc;m wide; spiral height 26&#x2013;36&#xa0;&#x3bc;m, distance between spirals 43&#x2013;57&#xa0;&#x3bc;m; cells isodiametric 2&#x2013;6&#xa0;&#x3bc;m long with granulose protoplasm. The author does not mention the occurrence of aerotopes, nor the habits benthic or planktonic for this species described from La Plata Basin. A brief indication of the species habit is described as &#x201c;greenish trichomes, forming a thin layered stratum&#x201d; (free translation from Latin). These morphological and habit descriptions do not exclude the possibility of the presence of aerotopes and the planktonic habit, but make these characters uncertain, considering that the specimens analyzed were from dried material. The expression &#x201c;thin layered stratum&#x201d; does not specify where it was sampled and also, at that time, planktonic material was not analyzed, so the author didn&#xb4;t know if specimens were also growing in phytoplankton. Consequently, we consider the original description poor and encompassing only a little portion of the morphological and ecological plasticity of the species.</p>
<p>
<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B11">Kom&#xe1;rek and Lund (1990)</xref>, also based on the type material in herbarium exsiccate, considered <italic>A. platensis</italic> as benthic and without aerotopes. However, to consider the species benthic based on the lack of aerotopes in dry preserved specimens is questionable. Currently it is known that aerotopes collapse in dry material (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B24">Tomaselli, 1997</xref>), and probably that is the reason why these authors (and Gomont) do not mention the presence of these structures.</p>
<p>Considering that, all of our studied populations from nineteen lakes, fit in the original description of <italic>A. platensis</italic>. All populations presented facultative aerotopes, and because of that, in this paper, we add this character to the species description. This is in agreement with <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B7">Jeeji-Bai (1999)</xref> genus revision, which also report aerotopes for <italic>A. platensis</italic>. Moreover, the benthic habit was stated by (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B11">Kom&#xe1;rek and Lund, 1990</xref>) as a consequence of the lack of aerotopes, however, in our observations it is clear that the populations are planktonic.</p>
<p>Our ecological data corroborates with the morphological analysis. Although Pantanal and La Plata Basin are geographically distant, they are connected by the rivers Paraguay and Paran&#xe1;. Pantanal is a corridor connecting the Amazon and La Plata Basins, and during the rainy seasons, the lakes are connected to these basins. The rivers flow to the South carrying a great diversity of species to La Plata estuary, which presents also high salinity, as observed by us in Pantanal lakes (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B1">Alho and Gon&#xe7;alves, 2005</xref>; <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B8">Junk and Cunha, 2005</xref>). Another important fact that can explain the presence of <italic>A. platensis</italic> in La Plata Basin, is that many birds migrate from this area to Pantanal every year for reproduction, and can carry the microbiota in their feathers. It is impossible to know from which environment the original described population was sampled, but we hypothesize that it could be found in temporary small pools (forming stratum), with higher salinity, pH and/or temperature. Clearly, <italic>A. platensis</italic> is not typical of La Plata Basin, considering that after the description of this species in 1892, even with many sampling efforts of Argentinian and Uruguayan research groups, no populations of <italic>A. platensis</italic> were found in this region.</p>
<p>The fact that <italic>A. platensis</italic> was never reported for La Plata Basin after the original description indicates that this species is more related to the salines of Pantanal, due to its abundance and wide distribution in this Biome. According to our results, <italic>L. platensis</italic> is typical from alkaline, saline, nutrient rich and warm environments and this can explain why the species is rare in La Plata Basin. The species is reported worldwide, but its actual distribution is unknown, mainly because of misidentification of populations in Europe, America, Africa and Asia (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B21">Sili et al., 2012</xref>).</p>
<p>According to these statements and our phylogenetic analysis showing our strains in <italic>Limnospira</italic> clade, we conclude that <italic>A. platensis</italic> has to be combined to <italic>L. platensis</italic>. Also, we recommend to use <italic>Arthrospira</italic> PSol CCIBt3254 (OR142672) as the reference strain for the species.</p>
</sec>
</body>
<back>
<sec sec-type="data-availability" id="s5">
<title>Data availability statement </title>
<p>The datasets presented in this study can be found in online repositories. The names of the repository/repositories and accession number(s) can be found below: GenBank OR142670-OR142672.</p>
</sec>
<sec id="s6">
<title>Author contributions </title>
<p>KS (Article initiative, generated morphological data, described the species, collaborated in discussion section) GH (Article initiative, wrote the paper) GF (collaborated in discussion section) AA (generated molecular data) MF (generated molecular data) VV (collaborated in discussion section, revised the manuscript) CS&#x2019;A (Author of the project, revised the manuscript). All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version.</p>
</sec>
<sec id="s7">
<title>Funding</title>
<p>GH is funded by Programa de Recupera&#xe7;&#xe3;o e Resili&#xea;ncia Portugu&#xea;s (PRR), Blue Bioeconomy Innovation Pact, Call 02/C05-I01/2022, Application Number C632741873-00467082. VV thanks to FCT Projects UIDB/04423/2020 and UIDP/04423/2020. KS thanks the financial supports of Funda&#x00E7;&#x00E3;o de Amparo &#x00E0; Pesquisa do Estado de S&#x00E3;o Paulo (FAPESP&#x2014;Process number 09/51655-1); the Embrapa Pantanal for permission to collect phytoplankton samples in Nhumirim farm, the Dr. Arnaldo Yoso Sakamoto (Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul&#x2014;UFMS Campus Tr&#x00EA;sLagoas) for the logistical support for the collections expeditions; the Freitag Laborat&#x00F3;rios (Timb&#x00F3;/SC, Brazil) for supporting this publication. GF thanks to Laboratorio Tecnologico del Uruguay (LATU) for financial support.</p>
</sec>
<sec sec-type="COI-statement" id="s8">
<title>Conflict of interest </title>
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