Volume 27, Issue 80, July - December, 2026

First record of Halosarcinochlamys sp. in India: Isolation, characterization, and phylogenetic analysis of a green hypersaline microalga from Mumbai saltpans

Gargi Rane^1,2, Madhavi Indap^1♦

¹Central Research Cell, The D.G. Ruparel College, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
²Department of Zoology, Ramnarain Ruia Autonomous College, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.

^♦Corresponding Author
Dr. Madhavi Indap, Central Research Cell, The D.G. Ruparel College, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

ABSTRACT

The hypersaline saltpans of Mumbai, India have extreme environmental conditions which house very specific, yet unexplored diversity of microalgae. In the present study, we report the first record of Halosarcinochlamys sp. from the Indian subcontinent. The identification of the same was carried out based on the ultrastructural features and molecular phylogeny using 18S rRNA gene sequences. The microalga has minute, cocci shaped, motile cells with smooth surface and intracellular lipid globules; which was revealed through Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscopy (SEM/TEM). Molecular phylogeny analysis further placed the isolate in Halosarcinochlamys with considerable bootstrap values. The maximum parsimony tree showed that this strain of Halosarcinochlamys grouped with H. cherokeensis. One of the important outcomes of this study, is that the isolated strain can be used for mass scale cultivation in arid, semi-arid regions as it can withstand extreme salinity and can be utilised for potential biodiesel production because of its intracellular lipid reserves. The study highlights the importance of exploring saltpans and other halotolerant species for bioprospecting.

Keywords: Chlamydomonadaceae, Extremophiles, Solar salterns

Species, 2026, 27(80), e26s3306

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Published: 16 October 2026