Publicação
A new diatom species from a transitional environment (Arade river estuary, Portugal): Tetramphora witkowskii sp. nov.
| Resumo: | Due to the environmental complexity created by physical and chemical gradients, transitional biomes host a large biological diversity. There has been some effort to better understand the diversity of diatoms living in these transitional environments, although many diatom species remain undescribed from these habitats. Gathering this knowledge will significantly improve our ability to halt biodiversity loss due to anthropogenic activities and assess individual water bodies' ecological status. More detailed studies on diatoms from transitional environments will also further enhance the research that uses them as proxies to reconstruct past environmental changes. The current research documents a new diatom species from the genus Tetramphora, found on the saltmarshes of the Arade River Estuary (Southern Portugal), and its autecology. As with the other twelve recognised species of the genus, Tetramphora witkowskii sp. nov. presents an asymmetrical valve outline, a biarcuate raphe system, slit like areolae, axial costae, a central hyaline area, and a dorsal central thickening. Tetramphora witkowskii sp. nov. is characterised by having finely silicified valves with a nearly flat face, 28.0-33.0 mu m in length and 6.0-6.5 mu m in width. The new species has a stria density of 24-27 in 10 mu m with narrow, longitudinally oriented areola openings. It presents proximal raphe endings covered by a projected dorsal-side flap and a developed sternum with thickened costae, weakly formed on the dorsal side of the central area. Tetramphora witkowskii sp. nov. was found as a benthic epipelic diatom with a preference for brackish to salt water with circumneutral pH. Further research is required to better understand this species' colony and frustule shape, the number, morphology, and position of the chloroplasts, genetic signature, geographical distribution, and environmental tolerance. |
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| Autores principais: | Gomes, Ana |
| Outros Autores: | Hamilton, Paul Brian; Solak, Cüneyt Nadir; Boski, Tomasz; Moura, Delminda; Ertorun, Nesil; Yedidağ, Ferhan |
| Assunto: | Saltmarsh Brackish water Salt water Tetramophora |
| Ano: | 2025 |
| País: | Portugal |
| Tipo de documento: | artigo |
| Tipo de acesso: | acesso aberto |
| Instituição associada: | Universidade do Algarve |
| Idioma: | inglês |
| Origem: | Sapientia - Universidade do Algarve |
| Resumo: | Due to the environmental complexity created by physical and chemical gradients, transitional biomes host a large biological diversity. There has been some effort to better understand the diversity of diatoms living in these transitional environments, although many diatom species remain undescribed from these habitats. Gathering this knowledge will significantly improve our ability to halt biodiversity loss due to anthropogenic activities and assess individual water bodies' ecological status. More detailed studies on diatoms from transitional environments will also further enhance the research that uses them as proxies to reconstruct past environmental changes. The current research documents a new diatom species from the genus Tetramphora, found on the saltmarshes of the Arade River Estuary (Southern Portugal), and its autecology. As with the other twelve recognised species of the genus, Tetramphora witkowskii sp. nov. presents an asymmetrical valve outline, a biarcuate raphe system, slit like areolae, axial costae, a central hyaline area, and a dorsal central thickening. Tetramphora witkowskii sp. nov. is characterised by having finely silicified valves with a nearly flat face, 28.0-33.0 mu m in length and 6.0-6.5 mu m in width. The new species has a stria density of 24-27 in 10 mu m with narrow, longitudinally oriented areola openings. It presents proximal raphe endings covered by a projected dorsal-side flap and a developed sternum with thickened costae, weakly formed on the dorsal side of the central area. Tetramphora witkowskii sp. nov. was found as a benthic epipelic diatom with a preference for brackish to salt water with circumneutral pH. Further research is required to better understand this species' colony and frustule shape, the number, morphology, and position of the chloroplasts, genetic signature, geographical distribution, and environmental tolerance. |
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