In the 2000s, molecular data revealed found that Scenedesmus was polyphyletic. Scenedesmus was subsequently split up into several genera, corresponding to the former subgeneraScenedesmus, Desmodesmus, and Acutodesmus.[4] As Tetradesmus species are phylogenetically closely related to species once placed in Scenedesmus subgenus Acutodesmus, the genus Acutodesmus was raised to genus rank and Tetradesmus was placed as a synonym of Acutodesmus.[5] However, since the name Tetradesmus was published before the genus combination Acutodesmus was made, this meant that the name Tetradesmus had priority Therefore, species in Acutodesmus were renamed to Tetradesmus.[6]
^Wynne, Michael J.; Hallan, Joel K. (2015). "Reinstatement of Tetradesmus G. M. Smith (Sphaeropleales, Chlorophyta)". Feddes Repertorium. 126 (3–4): 83–86. doi:10.1002/fedr.201500021.
