Meloneis Gen. Nov., a New Epipsammic Genus of Rhaphoneidaceae (Bacillariophyceae)

Abstract

The diatom family Rhaphoneidaceae is characterized by high generic diversity and low species diversity with most genera known to have long stratigraphic ranges. The genera within this family are neritic marine, and mostly epipsammic. A new modern and epipsammic genus, Meloneis gen. nov., is described herein and is compared to all genera within Rhaphoneidaceae and especially to Rhaphoneis Ehrenberg s.l. Within Meloneis three new species and one variety are distinguished and described herein: M. mimallis sp. nov., M. mimallis var. zephyria var. nov., M. akytos sp. nov., and M. gorgis sp. nov.

Taxonomy and distribution of diatoms on the Turkish Mediterranean Coast, Dalyan (Muğla)

“…These taxa were previously reported from the Mediterranean (Álvarez- Blanco & Blanco, 2014) and Greece (Loir, 2010(Loir, -2014, being more abundant from warm waters (Witkowski et al 2000). Meloneis mimallis was described from Aegean coasts of Greece (Louvrou et al 2012); this is the second record of that species from the Aegean Sea. Planothidium lilljeborgei has been reported from Faeroe Islands Fjords (Witon & Witkowski, 2006a) extending its biogeography to cold waters.…”

“…Remarks: Observed on seaweeds but also in epilithon. This species has been described from the Greek coasts of the Aegean Sea (Louvrou et al, 2012). Valves observed have broader morphological distribution on the Turkish coast of the Aegean Sea.…”

“…The present report is the first study of marine diatoms from the Dalyan region. On the other hand, there have been a few previous studies on marine diatoms (Çolak, 2008) from Turkey, and from the other side of the Aegean Sea (Economou-Amilli, 1980;Foged, 1986;Louvrou et al, 2012;Loir, 2010Loir, -2014. In these studies, some taxa were discussed biogeographically and taxonomically.…”

Morphology and taxonomy of Psammodiscus Round & Mann (Bacillariophyceae: Rhaphoneidales) with a description of the new species Psammodiscus calceatus

“…Round and Mann (1980) observed the fine structure of rota, which has several spokes per areola and no slits. In all Rhaphoneidaceae genera, rotae always have two spokes per areola and no fin-like projections with or without slit (Andrews & Rivera 1987, Blazé 1984, Louvrou et al 2012, Round et al 1990, Sar et al 2007, Takano 1982. Thus, it is suggested that the number of spokes and the pairs of fin-like projections are taxonomically important characters for separating the family Psammodiscaceae from Rhaphoneidaceae.…”