Taxonomic Revision and List of Cyanobacteria from the Lesser Antilles

The purpose of this study is to document the cyanobacteria from Lesser Antilles and to revise and update nomenclature to reflect current taxonomic understanding for previously reported species. There are a total of 202 species and intraspecies. Curacao had the most species identified (at 62) from the Lesser Antilles. Guadeloupe followed, with 57 species, Bonaire had 54 species, Dominica had 41 species, Aruba, had 24 species, Barbados had 23 species, US Virgin Islands had 19 species, St. Vincent had 15 species, St. Martin had 11 species, and the other islands had less than 10 species identified. The dominant order was <i>Nostocales</i> with 64 species (<i>Rivulariaceae</i> 23, <i>Scytonemataceae</i> 13, <i>Stigonemataceae</i> 7, <i>Aphanizomenonaceae</i> and <i>Hapalosiphonaceae</i> had 5 species each, <i>Nostocaceae </i>4, <i>Leptobasaceae</i> and <i>Tolypothrichaceae</i> had 3 species each, and <i>Nodulariaceae</i> had 1 species). <i>Oscillatoriales</i> was the second most abundant order with 51 species (32 <i>Microcoleaceae</i>, 19 <i>Oscillatoriaceae). Chroococcales</i> (16 <i>Microcystaceae</i>, 11 <i>Chroococcaceae,</i> 4 <i>Pleurocapsaceae</i>, and <i>Gomphosphaeriaceae </i>and <i>Cyanothrichaceae </i>each had only 1 species) was the third most abundant order with 33 species. Leptolyngbyales was the fourth most abundant order with 27 species (14 <i>Trichocoleusaceae</i>, 13 <i>Leptolyngbyaceae</i>). <i>Coleofasciculales</i> was the fifth most abundant order with 8 species (6 <i>Coleofasciculaceae</i>, 2 <i>Wilmottiaceae). Chroococcidiopsidales (Aliterellaceae)</i> and <i>Spirulinales (Spirulinaceae)</i> both had 4 species each, <i>Pleurocapsaceae</i> had 3 species (2 <i>Dermocarpellaceae </i>and 1 <i>Hydrococcaceae), Desertifilales (Desertifilaceae)</i> and <i>Pseudanabaenales (Pseudanabaenaceae)</i> had 2 species each, while <i>Geitlerinematales, Gomontiellales, Gloeobacterales</i>, and <i>Oculatellales</i> only had one species each).