1). Other check details lineages are represented by taxa formerly known as incertae sedis, for which this study provides for the first time an assessment at a higher taxonomic
level. Besides the taxonomic treatment, I find particularly interesting the fact that the spheroplealean coccoid lineages are very diverse genetically and are probably the prevalent form in this order, although their diversity is often hidden morphologically. This suggests the possibility that the ancestral sphaeroplealean alga was a coccoid unicell and that the nature of this order is in fact inherently unicellular, with multicellular taxa having arisen independently on multiple occasions. This conclusion, if further supported by additional studies, would revolutionize our current understanding of the evolution
of this order, suggesting also that in the future, similar situations might be unraveled for other groups of microchlorophytes BGB324 purchase (especially in the Trebouxiophyceae, that in several aspects are still comparatively understudied). This study represents a good example of how phylogeny should be used to build solid taxonomic schemes based on natural foundations. The disappointing aspect is that the concatenation of seven genes and a state-of-the-art phylogenetic treatment were not sufficient to produce a fully resolved phylogeny (some relationships in the innermost nodes of the trees are weakly supported or receive no support). However, all of the 16 lineages received high support and the placement of the new and incertae sedis taxa fit well at the family level within the classification of the Sphaeropleales. This approach is recommended for future studies that focus on the taxonomy of
other groups of microchlorophytes. It can be expected Methane monooxygenase that increasing the number of markers (and verifying that their phylogenetic signal is concordant) will produce robust phylogenies in which the circumscription of taxa at higher taxonomic levels will become clear even in algal groups with complex evolutionary histories. However, a mandatory condition for this is that the diversity of the algal group investigated is fully or largely sampled. In this regard, the results of Fučíková et al. (2013) highlight the importance of continued investigation in little-explored natural habitats, especially with extreme or unusual characteristics. Deserts have already shown to be an excellent target for the discovery of new taxa and the finding of Bracteamorpha, Rotundella, and Tumidella adds further support to the idea that desert environments promote the origin and evolution of independent lineages specifically adapted to these habitats (Lewis and Lewis 2005, Cardon et al. 2008, Rindi et al. 2011). I suggest that acidic aquatic environments, sites affected by several types of chemical pollution, high mountain habitats, and polar soils and rocks may also be good targets that can provide exciting insights into algal diversity.