Population genomics and morphological data bridge the centuries of cyanobacterial taxonomy along the continuum of Microcoleus species.

The filamentous cyanobacterium Microcoleus is among the most important global primary producers, especially in hot and cold desert ecosystems. This taxon represents a continuum consisting of a minimum of 12 distinct species with varying levels of gene flow and divergence. The notion of a species continuum is poorly understood in most lineages but is especially challenging in cyanobacteria. Here we show that genomic diversification of the Microcoleus continuum is reflected by morphological adaptation. We compiled a dataset of morphological data from 180 cultured strains and 300 whole genome sequences, including eight herbarium specimens and the type specimen of Microcoleus. We employed a combination of phylogenomic, population genomic, and population-level morphological data analyses to delimit species boundaries. Finally, we suggest that the shape of the filament apices may have an adaptive function to environmental conditions in the soil.