Radiococcaceae is a family of microscopic green algae in the order Sphaeropleales. Members of this family are widespread in terrestrial and freshwater habitats.
The family Radiococcaceae consists of colonies of cells embedded in a mucilage, generally arranged without a fixed pattern. Cells are spherical, oblong, oval, ellipsoidal or elongated, with a smooth cell wall. Cells contain parietal chloroplasts with or without pyrenoids. Cells reproduce by producing autospores, never by zoospores or hemizoospores.
Algae in the Radiococcaceae are among the most taxonomically difficult groups of green algae. Diagnostic characters used to delimit species and genera include cell size and shape, type of chloroplast and number of pyrenoids, number of autospores produced, structure of colonial mucilage, and persistence (or lack thereof) of the sporangial cell wall. However, taxonomists have emphasized different characters over others, leading to species being transferred between multiple genera. In 2002, Kostikov et al. proposed a coherent, if artificial generic classification. As currently circumscribed, Radiococcaceae is polyphyletic.
Genera , AlgaeBase accepted the following genera: Catenococcus F.Hindák Chlororustica Shin Watanbe, N.Mezaki & Tatsuya Suzuki Coenobotrys I.Kostikov, T.Darienko, A.Lukesová, & L.Hoffmann Coenochloris Korshikov Coenococcus Korshikov Coenocystis Korshikov Coenodispora I.Kostikov, T.Darienko, A.Lukesová, & L.Hoffmann Crucigloea C.J.Soeder Diplosphaeropsis I.Kostikov, T.Darienko, A.Lukesová, & L.Hoffmann Eutetramorus Walton Garhundacystis I.Kostikov & L.Hoffmann Gloeocystis Nägeli Herndonia Shin Watanabe Hindakochloris A.Comas Korshikoviobispora I.Kostikov, T.Darienko, A.Lukesová, & L.Hoffmann Neocystis F.Hindák Palmellosphaerium M.O.P.Iyengar Palmococcus I.Kostikov, T.Darienko, A.Lukesová, & L.Hoffmann Palmodictyon Kützing Pharao A.A.Saber, Fucíková, H.McManus, Guella & Cantonati Radiococcus Schmidle Schizochloris Kostikov, Darienko, Lukesová & L.Hoffmann Sphaerochlamydella Kostikov, Darienko, Lukesová & L.Hoffmann Sphaerochloris Hindák Sphaerococcomyxa I.Kostikov, T.Darienko, A.Lukesová, & L.Hoffmann Sphaeroneocystis I.Kostikov, T.Darienko, A.Lukesová, & L.Hoffmann Sporotetras Butcher Thorakochloris Pascher Tomaculum Whitford
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