Two new Prestauroneis Bruder & Medlin (Bacillariophyceae) species from Zoigê Wetland, Sichuan Province, China, and comparison with Parlibellus E.J. Cox.

Abstract

We present light and scanning electron microscopy on two new species of Prestauroneis from the Zoigê Wetland, Sichuan Province, China. Prestauroneis nenwai sp. nov. is rhomboid in shape with acutely rounded apices. Striae around the central area are more widely spaced than elsewhere on the valve, and distinct pseudosepta are present. This new species is distinguished from the two previously described species in this genus by the shape and size of the valves. Prestauroneis lowei sp. nov. is more elliptical in outline, with barely protracted, broadly rounded apices. An indistinct pseudoseptum is present at each pole. This second new species is similar to Parlibellus protracta, but differs in outline, especially in the degree to which the headpole is protracted. Some species similar to Prestauroneis have been included in Parlibellus, a genus of quite different morphology. We compare the differences between these two genera, and based on published observations of valve ultrastructure we propose two new combinations, Prestauroneis protractoides (Hustedt) Q. Liu & Kociolek comb. nov. and Prestauroneis protracta (Grunow ex Cleve) Q. Liu & Kociolek comb. nov. Assignment to Prestauroneis of other species in Parlibellus awaits future scanning electron microscopy studies. Although currently a small genus, Prestauroneis may be found across a wide spectrum of environments, from fresh to brackish/marine waters.

Keywords:

• Bacillariophyceae
• China
• diatoms
• freshwater
• new species
• Prestauroneis
• Parlibellus
• light microscopy
• scanning electron microscopy

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Bo Li for his help in acquiring parts of SEM images and Qingming You, Wanting Pang, Yong Fang and Yichen Ni for their help with the collection of materials in the field and laboratory. Constructive comments were provided by Dr Eileen Cox, for which we are grateful.

Funding

This research was funded in part with grant 31270249 from the National Nature Science Foundation.