Brachysira (Naviculales, Bacillariophyceae) in lowland waters from Colombia

Abstract

This study focuses on the genus Brachysira Kützing from lowland waters as part of the diatom flora investigation of Colombia. Periphyton samples were collected in lentic and lotic waterbodies from different Amazonian basins and the Ayapel swamp system in the northern Atlantic plain of Colombia. Diatoms were analysed with light and scanning electron microscopy. Two new taxa, B. guarrerai and B. huitotarum, are described. These species were differentiated from their allied taxa based on the combination of: the shape of the central area; the shape and number of the areolae that delimit the central area; stria position; presence or absence of papillae on the interstriae; and degree of silicification of the ribs that delimit the raphe. In addition, five other taxa are reported and described: B. microcephala (Grunow) Compère and B. subrostrata Lange-Bertalot are recorded for the first time from Colombia, while B. manfredii Lange-Bertalot was previously found in the Sierra Nevada. The other two taxa were identified as B. aff. brebissonii Ross and B. aff. microcephala because the Colombian specimens differ slightly from the type material of these cosmopolitan species.

Keywords:

• Bacillariophyceae
• Brachysira guarrerai
• Brachysira huitotarum
• Colombia
• diatom taxonomy
• neotropical

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the Instituto Amazónico de Investigaciones Científicas Sinchi, Red Latinoamericana de Botánica, Convención Ramsar and the Instituto Nacional de Desarrollo (INADE) de Perú. We also want to specially thank Luc Ector for his generosity in assisting with this work and Sonia Sua from the Sinchi Institute who kindly prepared the map of the study area.