Three new cymbelloid species in the genera Cymbella, Cymbopleura and Delicatophycus from the mineral spring Crvena Voda near Skopje, Republic of North Macedonia

Abstract

Mineral springs are unique habitats frequently inhabited by specific diatom species with restricted distributions. In the mineral spring Crvena Voda near Skopje, three cymbelloid taxa were observed, whose morphological characteristics differ from already known taxa. They are described here as: Cymbella parahelvetica sp. nov., Cymbopleura angustilanceolata sp. nov. and Delicatophycus fontinalis sp. nov. Cymbella parahelvetica sp. nov. is characterized by the absence of an apical pore field at the valve ends and by very densely arranged striae. Cymbopleura angustilanceolata sp. nov. can be distinguished from other Cymbopleura species by the valve outline, the shape of the central area and the stria density. Delicatophycus fontinalis sp. nov. can be differentiated from similar species by its strongly arched dorsal margin, its valve width and stria density.

Keywords:

• biodiversity
• diatoms
• morphology
• new species
• taxonomy

Acknowledgements

Chemical analyses were carried out at the Chemical Laboratory at the State Hydrometeorological Institute in Skopje, R. North Macedonia. The authors want to express their gratitude to Daniela Jovanovska for preparation of the map. We thank Alex Ball and Innes Clatworthy, Imaging and Analysis Centre, the Natural History Museum, London, for their support with scanning electron microscopy.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung Humboldt Foundation and SYNTHESYS + Project http://www.synthesys.info/ which is financed by European Community Research Infrastructure Action under the H2020 Integrating Activities Programme, project number 823827. SYNTHESYS+ Project http://www.synthesys.info/ which is financed by European Community Research Infrastructure Action under the H2020 Integrating Activities Programme, Project number 823827