Abstract:Two new species of the genus Mastogloia are described. Mastogloia sawensis sp. nov. and M. vestigiostriata sp. nov. were encountered as epiphytes on Chara sp. which covers the sediment of Sawa Lake, an isolated saline water body in southern Iraq. Mastogloia sawensis belongs to the section Lanceolatae and is closely similar to M. lanceolata but differs in raphe curvature, areolae shape and arrangement, and the presence of rounded pores at the junction of the partecta. Mastogloia vestigiostriata resembles under light microscopy to M. lyra and M. braunii but shows differences in several features including valve mantle structures, H-shaped lateral hyaline area, siliceous flanges and partectal formation. This study gives morphological details on the ultrastructure of the new species and provides a detailed comparison with all related taxa.
Six marine bivalves species were recorded from the north west of the Arabian Gulf, Iraqi coast from 2020 to 2021. The species are Acar plicata (Dillwyn, 1817) (family Arcidae), Sunetta effossa (Hanley, 1843) (family Veneridae), Scissileda tropica (Melvill, 1897) (family Yoldiidae), Protapes cor (Sowerby, 1853) (family Veneridae), Circentia callipyga (Born, 1778) (family Veneridae) and Acrosterigma lacunosa (Reeve, 1845) (family Cardiidae). These records raise the number of marine bivalves known from the Iraqi coast to 38 species.
A new species of the genus Williamsella (Fragilariophyceae) is described from a saline lake in southern Iraq. Williamsella iraqiensis sp. nov. was found free living and as epiphyte on Chara sp. in Sawa Lake. This species is the second described of the genus Williamsella which was originally reported from Blue Lake warm springs, Utah, USA. Williamsella iraqiensis sp. nov. and W. angusta can be readily distinguished under LM by having a relatively wide sternum which results from shorter striae along valve margin. Description of valve ultrastructure and comparison with other related genera such as Fragilaria is provided. Williamsella iraqiensis is a brackish water species preferring warm waters.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.