Phylogenetic insights into chroococcus‐like taxa (Chroococcales, Cyanobacteria), describing Cryptochroococcus tibeticus gen. nov. sp. nov. and Limnococcus fonticola sp. nov. from Qinghai‐Tibet plateau

Several coccoid cyanobacterial strains, morphologically similar to typical characteristics of Chroococcus, from the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau were isolated and characterized using a polyphasic approach including morphological and molecular information. Morphological characteristics, the phylogeny based on 16S rRNA gene, and 16S–23S internal transcribed spacer secondary structures support establishing a novel Chroococcus‐like genus, Cryptochroococcus gen. nov., as well as Limnococcus fonticola sp. nov. Limnococcus is phylogenetically included in Chroococcaceae and has irregularly arranged thylakoids. Therefore, it should no longer be a member of Merismopediaceae (Synechococcales). The phylogeny based on the 16S rRNA gene revealed that Chroococcus‐associated genera were monophyletic.