Cyanobacteria /Cy·a·no·bac·te·ria/ (si″ah-no-bak-tēr´e-ah) a subgroup of bacteria comprising the blue-green bacteria (blue-green algae), which are photosynthetic and also fix nitrogen.
cyanobacteria
Cy·a·no·bac·te·ri·a (s   -n -b k-tîr  -)n. A group of Procaryotae consisting of unicellular or filamentous gram-negative microorganisms that are either nonmotile or possess a gliding motility, may reproduce by binary fission, and photosynthetically produce oxygen; some species are capable of fixing nitrogen. Members of this phylum were formerly called blue-green algae. |
cyanobacteria
[sī′ənōbaktir′ē·ə]
Etymology: Gk, kyanos, blue + bacterion, small staff
blue-green bacteria, unicellular or filamentous organisms that fix both carbon dioxide (in the presence of light) and nitrogen. Several species are common causes of water pollution and cause cyanobacteria poisoning. Formerly called blue-green algae.
cyanobacteria
photosynthezing bacteria of widely varying form and inhabiting many environments including marine and fresh water. They produce a green pigment which changes color to blue or blue-green when the bacteria are stressed or dying. Formerly classified as algae (division Cyanophyta) and known as blue-green algae. Some species are non-toxic, some produce hepatoxins, others produce neurotoxins, and still others produce dermatoxins. Toxic species include Anabaena, Anabaenopsis, Aphanizomenon, Coelosphaerium, Cylindrospermopsis, Fischerella, Gloeotrichia, Gomphosphaeria, Haplosiphon, Hormothamnion, Lyngyba, Microcystis, Nodularia, Nostoc, Oscillatoria, Pseudoanabaena, Schizothrix, Seytonema, Synechococcus, Tolypothrix, Trichodesmium. Called also cyanophytes. See also algal poisoning.
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