The centric diatom genus Cyclotella, (Stephanodiscaceae: Bacillariophyta) from Florida Bay, USA, with special reference to Cyclotella choctawhatcheeana and Cyclotella desikacharyi, a new marine species related to the Cyclotella striata complex^†

† Dedicated to Professor T.V. Desikachary on the occasion of his 85th birthday, 18 September 2004.

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Abstract

A.K.S.K. Prasad and J.A. Nienow. 2006. The centric diatom genus Cyclotella, (Stephanodiscaceae: Bacillariophyta) from Florida Bay, USA, with special reference to Cyclotella choctawhatcheeana and Cyclotella desikacharyi, a new marine species related to the Cyclotella striata complex. Phycologia 45: 127–140. DOI: 10.2216/05-13.1

A new marine species of the centric diatoms of the genus Cyclotella, Cyclotella desikacharyi A.K.S.K. Prasad collected from several localities in Florida Bay, USA, where it is a dominant part of the planktonic assemblage, is described by means of light and scanning electron microscopy. Cyclotella desikacharyi is characterized by the presence of dense striae (14–19 in 10 µm) in the marginal zone and small granules all through the surface of the valve, including the central area, fultoportulae on the valve mantle located on every second or third interstria, each surrounded by three satellite pores, a pronounced tangential undulation, 3–17 valve-face fultoportulae in an arc on the uplift of the undulation and numerous discoid plastids. The new species is compared with Cyclotella striata complex; C. desikacharyi closely resembles C. striata in valve dimensions and in the structure and arrangement of alveolate striae, and in the presence of three satellite pores surrounding each fultoportula on the valve mantle; it differs from it in the stria density and the presence of siliceous granules on the entire valve surface. The new species is compared with the other closely related marine members of the genus, Cyclotella stylorum and Cyclotella litoralis. Cyclotella choctawhatcheeana Prasad, originally described from the northern Gulf Coast of Florida, is also recorded in several localities in Florida Bay and its global distribution is discussed. The evolution of euryhalinity in the genus Cyclotella is also discussed in brief.

Key Words::

• Bacillariophyta
• Stephanodiscaceae
• Cyclotella
• C. choctawhatcheeana
• C. desikacharyi
• systematics
• Florida Bay
• fine structure
• taxonomy

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors are grateful to Felicia Coleman and Chris Koenig, Florida State University's Fish Ecology Resource for the financial support; to Charles W. Reimer (ANAP, Philadelphia), Richard M. Crawford (Bremerhaven, Germany) and Geraldine Reid (NHM, London, UK) for arranging the loan of type materials for our examination; to Tara Bonds, (FSU Department of Classics) and David G. Mann (RBG, Edinburg) for providing Latin description for the new species; to Anne B. Thistle for her editing several drafts of the manuscript; to Kimberly A. Riddle for her excellent technical assistance with electron microscopes; to C. W. Ken Womble for preparing digitized images. This work was funded in part by a faculty research grant to JAN from Valdosta State University.

Notes

† Dedicated to Professor T.V. Desikachary on the occasion of his 85th birthday, 18 September 2004.