Numerical Taxonomic Study on the Terrestrial Specimens of the Genus Anabaena Bory ex Bornet et Flahault in Iran

Paddy fields are terrestrial ecosystems that represent a favorable environment for the growth of blue-green algae. Members of genus Anabaena Bory ex Bornet et Flahault are most important genera of filamentous heterocystous blue-green algae in these terrestrial ecosystems. In present study, Anabaena specimens were obtained from paddy field soils of seven main rice cultivation provinces situated in north, centre, south, west and east of Iran from April 2008 to May 2010. For isolation and identification of these taxa, algal cultures carried out by growing the specimens in nitrate free BG-11 medium. Identification was carried out by morphometric and molecular methods (16S rRNA gene sequencing). Thirty six morphological characters and numerical taxonomic methods were used for classifying the several species of this genus. Numerical taxonomic studies were performed on 34 populations of 13 Anabaena morphospecies. A cluster analysis and principal component analysis performed using MVSP software and rate of resemblance among the species recognized. The results showed that populations of each species are placed close to each other and separate from the other species only base on morphological characters.