Cyanobacterial flora from thermal springs of the Kullu District, Himachal Pradesh, India

The present paper reports 40 fresh water cyanobacterial taxa grouped under 5 order, 12 families and 19 genera from five thermal springs (Vashisht, Kalath, Kasol, Manikaran, Khirganga) of Himachal Pradesh, India. Water temperature of these thermal springs at the point of sampling was quite high ranged from 39°C to 92°C and pH ranged from 6.4 to 6.9. Six Cyanobacterial species viz. Geitlerinema exile, Geitlerinema splendidum, Leptolynbgya boryana, Leptolynbgya laminosa, Leptolynbgya margaretheana, Planktolyngbya contorta have been reported first time from these thermal springs. Samples collected from these thermal springs are grown in BG-11 medium in laboratory at normal temperature 27°C. Some taxa like Oscillatoria limosa, Oscillatoria princeps, Chroococcus limneticus, Chroococcus turgidus and Lyngbya sp. have adopted to laboratory condition and grown well. These thermal spring cyanobacterial isolates can be used for ecological, physiological and bio-prospection oriented research.