Due to its unusual heteromorphic life cycle, great geographic differences, and minuteness of motile cells, the taxonomy of Phaeocystis was extremely controversial, and the diverse criteria were adopted by different authors. In all 9 species reported today, only two species were recognized by Sournia et al. (1988): one is no colony-forming P.scrobiculata, the other is colony-forming P. pouchetii(here referred as P. pouchetii sensu lato). To avoid the subject, the majority of authors simply followed Sournia's classification. But some authors preferred to divide the P. pouchetii sensu lato into 3 species: P. pouchetii(here referred as P. pouchetii sensu stricto), P. globosa, and P. antarctica. The confusion of taxonomy of Phaeocystis have retarded further studies significantly. New methods are needed to solve the problem.
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