<strong>A new species of <em>Punctastriata</em> (Bacillariophyta, Fragilariophyceae) from temporary streams in southern Portugal</strong>

Abstract

The genus Punctastriata D.M. Williams & Round (1988: 278) contains species that are difficult to identify under light microscopy (LM) (Wetzel & Ector 2021). Their striae are composed of several rows of minute areolae that open interiorly into a single depression. It is the shadow created by this depression under LM that closely resembles the striae in species of Staurosirella D.M. Williams & Round (1988: 274); striae that are often said to have a punch hole appearance (Morales & Manoylov 2006). Thus, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is often required to confirm the presence of a species of Punctastriata in a sample.Besides the typical multiseriate striae, produced by the formation of multiple viminules in the entire striae (both of these are the defining feature of the genus), the species share all the remaining features with other small araphid genera lacking a rimoportula, such as the already mentioned Staurosirella, but also

Fragilaria odeloucaensis sp. nov. (Bacillariophyta, Fragilariaceae) a diatom from temporary streams in southern Portugal

“…In order to continue with the description of araphid diatoms from southern Portuguese intermittent streams (Morales et al 2021b), a new species is described herein from the Odelouca Stream in the Monchique municipality in the Algarve Region, a tributary of the Arade River in the basin of the same name. LM and SEM are combined for the description of the new taxon and ecological information is presented at the time that morphological features are compared with published information for morphologically related taxa.…”