Morphological observations and emended description of Amphora micrometra from the Bolivian Altiplano, South America

Abstract

A population of Amphora micrometra Giffen, collected in September 2002 from different habitats in Laguna Blanca in the Bolivian Altiplano, South America, has been examined using light transmission and scanning electron microscopy. The original description of this species is incomplete and insufficient to characterize the taxon in the light of the newly collected ultrastructural data. The holotype of A. micrometra was examined during the present study and compared to Bolivian specimens. An emended diagnosis of A. micrometra using all available information is provided. A taxonomic discussion based on available literature and the ecology of the taxon is also presented herein.

Keywords:

• Bacillariophyceae
• Andes
• Bolivia
• Laguna Blanca
• Amphora micrometra
• taxonomy

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Johan van der Molen, Curator of CSIR diatom collection (KwaZulu-Natal, Regional office in Durban, South Africa), for M.N. Giffen type slide and raw material of the South African Diatom Collection, Katarina Caput (Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Zagreb, Croatia) for TEM micrographs, Mike Amspoker and an unknown referee for the correction of the manuscript. The 2002 expedition to Bolivia was funded by the NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) Directorate Discretionary Funds and supported by the ARC Space Science Division. The authors thank Nathalie A. Cabrol (Expedition Leader) for the possibility to participate on the expedition and the use of the chemical data presented herein.