Stichococcus

Stichococcus is a genus of green algae in the division Chlorophyta. Members are small, non-motile coccoid forms that may occur singly or in simple colonies of two to several cells. Cells are typically spherical to ovoid and pale green due to chlorophylls a and b.

Reproduction occurs mainly by asexual division. In autosporulation, a parent cell produces multiple small daughter cells that are released when the cell wall breaks, sometimes resulting in loose clusters. Some species form colonies by successive divisions with incomplete separation of daughter cells. Sexual reproduction is not widely documented in Stichococcus and is not considered a prominent feature of most described strains.

Stichococcus has a cosmopolitan distribution and is common in both aquatic and terrestrial habitats. It occurs on moist soil, leaf surfaces, bark, mosses, and within lichens, and can also be found in freshwater environments and on damp substrates. The genus is noted for its ability to persist under desiccation and moisture fluctuations, enabling survival in shaded, damp microhabitats and on weathered substrates.

Ecologically, Stichococcus contributes to primary production in microhabitats and participates in biofilms on plant surfaces and other substrates. Its small size and resilience make it a frequent component of moisture-associated algal communities. Because of its ubiquity and persistence, Stichococcus is sometimes encountered in studies related to ecology, biomonitoring, and, in some contexts, paleolimnology as an indicator of microhabitat conditions.