Rhoicosphenia michali: a new species of marine diatom (Bacillariophyta) from King George Island, Antarctica

• Rhoicosphenia michali sp. nov., described from the shallow sublittoral zone in Antarctica, is the second species in the genus with just one raphe slit on its convex valve. The first species, Rhoicosphenia flexa, was also described from marine coastal habitats in the Southern Hemisphere. Here, the morphology and ecology of R. flexa and R. michali are compared. The new species described herein may be endemic to Antarctica and can be found as free living cells on the shallow seabed, although it mainly occurs on the red alga Georgiella confluens, which is endemic to Antarctica.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi -- Botanik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences -- Botany (hsv//eng)

Keyword

SOUTH-AFRICA

LITTORAL DIATOMS

CAPE-PROVINCE

LIFE-HISTORY

SIZE-REDUCTION

SALDANHA BAY

SYSTEMATICS

RHODOPHYTA

ACCOUNT

CURVATA

Plant Sciences

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)