Entomoneis grisslehamnensis, a New Diatom (Bacillariophyceae) from the Baltic Coast of Sweden with taxonomic and ecological notes on Entomoneis paludosa (W. Smith) Reimer

Abstract

The diatom genus Entomoneis includes species with panduriform frustules characterized by a bilobate, elevated keel, sigmoid raphe canal and numerous open, porous girdle bands. During a phytoplankton survey along the Baltic coast of Sweden, we observed numerous Entomoneis cells, some belonging to the well-known Entomoneis paludosa, while others remained unknown. Morphological and ultrastructural studies of the unknown species were performed with light microscopy (LM), scanning (SEM) and transmission (TEM) electron microscopy, and revealed a unique set of morphological characters. Live cells of Entomoneis grisslehamnensis sp. nov. contain one plate-like plastid and show various degrees of torsion about the apical axis. Microscopic features of cleaned frustules are discussed in comparison with similar species. Most importantly, every 2nd to 5th virga is strongly elevated, uniseriate striae are composed of quadrangular areolae with finely perforated hymenes; the winged keel with a discernible raphe canal is structurally strengthened by raphe fibulae with a flattened wing area, and the main part of the valve bulges towards the margins; striation is decussate on the wings and there is one row of raphe canal areolae at the central area. In addition to describing this new species of an underappreciated, yet cosmopolitan diatom genus, we contribute to the taxonomy of E. paludosa with LM, SEM and TEM details, some of which were not sufficiently noted in original descriptions or re-examination of type material and other specimens made by Dalu et al. [2015. A re-examination of the type material of Entomoneis paludosa (W. Smith) Reimer and its morphology and distribution in African waters. Fottea 15: 11–25] and Long et al. [2022. Ultrastructure of three species of Entomoneis (Bacillariophyta) from Lake Qinghai of China, with reference to the external areola occlusions. PhytoKeys 189: 29–50. doi:10.3897/phytokeys.189.78149].

Keywords:

• Entomoneis
• morphology
• new species
• panduriform
• E. paludosa

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Mr. Mikael Hedblom, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, for his help in sample collection and transport. The first author expresses his gratitude to Dr Stefan Gustafsson, Chalmers University, Gothenburg, Sweden for assisting with the SEM. We like to express our deepest gratitude to the Editor in Chief, Dr Eileen Cox, for very valuable comments and suggestions that greatly improved the manuscript. Author contributions: Adil Al-Handal: sampling, manuscript concept, light and electron microscopy, morphological analysis. Maja Mucko: manuscript concept, electron microscopy, morphological analysis. Peharec Štefanić Petra: TEM analysis. Angela Wulff: funding acquisition, supervision and supporting writing.

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Funding

This work is part of a project funded by the Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning (FORMAS) as part of the project 2017-0085.