This volume treats Cyanoprokaryotes with diversified thalli, with the typical presence of prominent, specialized cells having specific functions, complex life cycles, and a combination of various reproductive strategies. All heterocytous cyanobacteria are included, especially taxa studied and revised according to modern phylogenetic criteria. The author tried to respect all confirmed changes and corrections and to enable the identification of various populations in nature or in cultures according to morphological characteristics. A synthesis of modern results with traditional nomenclature is aimed to foster progress in cyanobacterial research and to enhance identification of natural populations using morphological criteria.

Jiří Komárek (born 1931) - Studied botany (spec. phycology) at the Masaryk University in Brno and Charles University in Prague (at Prof. Fott), Czech Republic. He completed scientific education at Profs. Bourrelly (Paris), Lund (Windermere) and Starmach (Krakow). Later he worked in the Institute of Hydrobiology (ecology), Inst. of Microbiology (physiology, biochemistry) and in the Inst. of Botany of the Academy of Sciences CR. From 1991 he was professor of phycology at the University of South Bohemia and the first director of Botanical Department of Faculty of Sciences. He was specialized in diversity, ecology and taxonomic classification of coccal green algae and cyanobacteria. He participated in several tropical or polar expeditions and projects, published over 300 scientific papers and several monographs. Recently, he prefers the "polyphasic approach" (combined molecular, cytomorphological, ecological and biochemical criteria) for evaluation of cyanobacterial diversity.