CHARACTERIZATION OF AMPHORA AND SEMINAVIS FROM SOUTH FLORIDA, U.S.A.

Abstract

Species in the genera Amphora and Seminavis were investigated in marine and coastal environments of South Florida. Taxa were compared with published descriptions, type specimens and photographic micrographs of type specimens obtained from several museums, resulting in refinement and revision of some nomenclatural concepts. We describe nineteen new species and two new varieties of Amphora (A. americana, A. archibaldii, A. caribaea, A. crenulata, A. floridae, A. gramenorum, A. indentata, A. lacinia, A. lunulata, A. luteum, A. montgomeryi, A. pseudoproteus, A. pseudotenuissima, A. scutella, A. spriggerica, A. subtropica, A. tegetum, A. vadosini, A. acuta var. parva, A. cymbifera var. heritierarum) and three new species of Seminavis (S. cyrtorapha, S. delicatula, S. witkowskii). Rare taxa for which we could not find descriptions are also presented with detailed descriptions and images. Ecological affinities are provided and compared to those reported in the literature. We use the broad representation of these two genera in the flora of South Florida to resolve taxonomic confusion in the literature and, through comparison of collected specimens with type material, validate taxonomic assignments of problematic taxa.