Chlorophyta

Sokoloff, Paul C., Freebury, Colin E., Hamilton, Paul B. & Saarela, Jeffery M., 2016, The " Martian " flora: new collections of vascular plants, lichens, fungi, algae, and cyanobacteria from the Mars Desert Research Station, Utah, Biodiversity Data Journal 4, pp. 8176-8176 : 8176

Chlorophyta

Notes

Six taxa of endolithic and endophytic algae and cyanobacteria were identified in this study. Two taxa independently ( Trebouxia sp. 1 & Gloeocapsa sp.) formed a mixed layer (predominantly Gloeocapsa sp.) 1-4 mm below the surface within one sandstone sample (Sokoloff 290, Figs 4, 5). In a quartz sample (Sokoloff 301), Gloeocapsa sp. was the dominant taxon growing on the underside of a quartz rock found embedded in desert sand, along with an unknown chlorophyte ( Chaetophorales ) within crevices of the rock. In another sample, Trebouxia sp. 1 was also observed as a distinct layer 1-4 mm below the sandstone surface (Sokoloff 249). On average, there was 1-6 sand grains of varying shapes, sizes and orientation between the outer surface and the endolith. The algae layer varied from 0.5 to 1.5 mm in thickness and ranged from disrupted to continuous. In the three samples collected, the expanse of these layers ranged from 0.5 cm2 to 2.5 cm2. In two samples (Sokoloff 249, 290) lichens ( Lecanora cf. garovaglii , Acarospora strigata ) were scattered across the surface with subsurface expansions of the fungi into the sandstone (Fig. 6d, Fig. 7). Scattered fungi were also observed within the endolithic algae layers (Fig. 5). In two lichen samples examined for photobionts, Heteroplacidium compactum (Sokoloff 296) and Placidium acarosporoides (Sokoloff 305), the alga Myrmecia sp. was observed within the lichens.