The genus Surirella (Bacillariophyta) in the sub-Antarctic and maritime Antarctic region

Abstract

A revision of taxa from the genus Surirella from the Antarctic region resulted in the description of three new taxa: S. subantarctica Van de Vijver & Cocquyt sp. nov., S. heardensis Van de Vijver & Cocquyt sp. nov. and S. australovisurgis Van de Vijver, Cocquyt, Zidarova & Kopalová sp. nov. Detailed light (LM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations are used to characterize these three new taxa. Comparisons with similar taxa and the ecological preferences of each species are added. The morphological characteristics of a fourth Antarctic Surirella taxon, S. kerguelensis Grunow are illustrated as this taxon was only known from a few hand drawings and LM pictures. Finally, a fifth taxon, S. lapponica A. Cleve was found on South Georgia and likewise illustrated. The revision of these species made clear that the genus Surirella showed similar biogeographical trends as other, previously revised genera indicating that a distinct Antarctic diatom flora exists.

Keywords:

• Antarctica
• Bacillariophyta
• morphology
• new species
• Surirella
• taxonomy

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Niek J.M. Gremmen and Louis Beyens for the collection of samples from Heard Island, the Prince Edward Islands and South Georgia. Sampling on Crozet and Kerguelen was made possible thanks to the logistic and financial support of the French Polar Institute-Paul-Emile Victor in the framework of the terrestrial program 136 (Marc Lebouvier & Yves Frenot). Samples from the Byers Peninsula were taken in the framework of the IPY-Limnopolar Project POL2006-06635 (Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología, Spain). Anton Igersheim (Vienna Naturhistorisches Museum) is thanked for sending us high-resolution images of the original drawings of S. kerguelensis made by Grunow. Part of the research was funded within the FWO project GA UK 394211, and as the long-term research development project no. RVO 67985939 and supported by an EU Synthesys grant to BVDV to visit the National History Museum in London, UK. Alex Ball, the staff of the EMMA laboratory and Eileen J. Cox at the Natural History Museum are thanked for their help with the scanning electron microscopy. Kateřina Kopalová benefited from an Erasmus grant during her stay in Belgium. Paul Hamilton and an anonymous reviewer are thanked for their valuable comments that improved the manuscript.