We understand that particularly the case of Synechoccocus needs clarification and have thus extended the explanation there: “Sequences termed Synechococcus on the other hand were analysed together with sequences of the monophyletic clade Prochlorococcus, since Synechococcus is known to be a polyphyletic group and if all sequences (including a minimum of five lineages [36–38]) are taken together, Prochlorococcus has to be included, too”.
Thus this study intends only to verify the existence of a barcoding gaps within the 16S rRNA sequences of certain cyanobacterial groups, and by no means revise or confirm the complex cyanobacterial taxonomy.”