The inside of a dam as an unusual habitat for two rare species of Gomphosphenia – G. fontinalis and G. holmquistii

Abstract

Studies were conducted on two rivers in SE Poland, the San River and the Wisłoka River, and inside the Solina Dam. Two rare species of Gomphosphenia, G. fontinalis Lange-Bertalot, Ector & Werum and G. holmquistii (Foged) Lange-Bertalot were noted. Gomphosphenia fontinalis was recorded only inside the Solina Dam. Before now, both G. fontinalis and G. holmquistii had only been reported from cold, natural, unpolluted and alkaline waters. Morphological details (light microscope and scanning electron microscope) and ecological characteristics of both species are described and briefly discussed.

Keywords:

• Bacillariophyceae
• diatoms
• ecology
• hydroelectric dam
• morphology
• new distributions
• Poland
• SEM images

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank David Duffy for language correction of the manuscript. They also wish to thank the directorate of the Solina-Myczkowce hydroelectric power plant complex for allowing diatom sampling.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.