First record of the soil cyanobacterium Nodosilinea epilithica (Synechococcales, Cyanobacteria) in Russia

Abstract

Nodosilinea epilithica Perkerson et Casamatta is reported for the first time for Russia. The sample was isolated from a typical chestnut soil in the zone of dry steppes (Volgograd Region) and its identity was confirmed by morphological and molecular analyses. The specific feature of the studied strain is its ability to form nodules at normal (60–75 μmol photons ∙ m-2 ∙ sec-1) light. The number of nodules is supposed to be related to the age of a cyanobacterial culture.