The single celled chlamydomonad alga, Oophila ambystomatis, lives inside the egg capsule of spotted salamander embryos Ambystoma maculatum. Studies suggest that the relationship between the two organisms is symbiotic; the alga provides developing embryos with oxygen, the embryos may provide a source of nitrogen for the alga. This study uses molecular phylogenetic methods to understand if the algae found in Rider populations is the same species of algae found in other A. macculatum eggs in other North American regions, and determine how O. ambystomatis is related to other chlamydomonad algae.
Results/Conclusions
Molecular phylogenetic analysis indicates that the O. ambystomatis found on Rider campus is the same species as the symbiotic algae found in other North American regions. Analysis has also revealed that it is highly likely that O. ambystomatis is a strain of the species C. psuedeogleogama.