Nanoflagellates from coastal waters of southern Brazil (32°S)

Abstract

A taxonomic survey of nanoflagellates in the extreme southern Brazilian coastal waters of the Patos Lagoon estuary and adjacent coastal shelf was undertaken using transmission electron microscopy. A total of 44 species was recorded including 42 nanoflagellates, one scale-bearing amoeba and two species incertae sedis. Scale-bearing haptophytes predominated (27 species), followed by prasinophytes (7), chrysophytes (6), pedinellids (2), incertae sedis (2) and one scale-bearing amoeba. Most of the species (42) are new records for Brazilian marine waters. Among the haptophytes, Chrysochromulina was the most species-rich genus, occurring mainly in high salinity waters, and C. simplex was the most frequent species. Scales of undescribed Chrysochromulina species were observed and documented. Other haptophytes present were Prymnesium parvum and Phaeocystis scrobiculata. Five scale-bearing prasinophytes of the genus Pyramimonas were observed including the uncommon species P. longicauda, in addition to Micromonas pusilla and Nephroselmis pyriformis. Among the chrysophytes, the scale-bearing Paraphysomonas species (4) and the loricate Dinobryon belgica were recorded. The pedinellids (Apedinella radians and Parapedinella reticulata), the amoeba Rabdiophrys sp. and the incertae sedis (Meringosphaera mediterranea, Thaumatomastix sp.) are all scale-bearing protists. The 44 taxa (mostly scale-bearing flagellate species) identified and the finding of further undescribed Chrysochromulina species indicate that only a fraction of the species present in the region are known, and that an effort must be made to increase general knowledge of biodiversity in these southern waters.

Heterotrophic flagellates and centrohelid heliozoa from littoral and supralittoral zones of the Black Sea (the Southern part of the Crimea)

“…This species was originally described as Paraphysomonas butcheri, however, after phylogenetic studies, Scoble and Cavalier-Smith (2014) transferred it to a new genus Clathromonas. Number of holes and sizes of scales may vary at different cells (Bergesch et al, 2008). Size of scales of observed cells corresponds to previous descriptions Scoble and Cavalier-Smith, 2014 Scoble et Cavalier-Smith, 2014) have similar plate mesh scales.…”

Diversity and Ecology of Eukaryotic Marine Phytoplankton

“…This order can be ecologically important in coastal areas (Bergesch et al, 2008) as well as in polar waters (Rodriguez et al, 2002). For example, it can account for up to 40% of 18S rRNA sequences in the nanoplankton fraction in the Beaufort Sea or completely dominate in the North East Pacific (Balzano et al, 2012).…”

Loricate Choanoflagellates from the South Atlantic coastal zone (~32 °S) including the description of Diplotheca tricyclica sp. nov.

“…The nanoflagellates are abundant in the estuarine and coastal areas of southern Brazil (Odebrecht & Abreu 1997, Odebrecht & Garcia 1997, Bergesch & Odebrecht 2001, and comprise several taxonomic groups including haptophytes, prasinophytes, chrysophytes and pedinellids (Bergesch et al 2008). The present article is the first report of loricate choanoflagellates in the area.…”

“…One to three grids per sample were examined in a JEM 100-SX transmission electron microscope (TEM). Loricate choanoflagellates were identified in 21 samples, but broken or incomplete loricas were present in several others of the 198 analyzed samples (Bergesch et al 2008).…”

“…In southern Brazilian waters, the size structure and composition of phytoplankton have been documented by several authors ( Odebrecht & Abreu 1997, Odebrecht & Garcia 1997, Bergesch & Odebrecht 2001, Bergesch et al 2008) but characterization of the heterotrophic community is still lacking. Here we present detailed information on loricate choanoflagellate species composition and distribution in the South Brazilian coastal waters, and the description of one new species of the genus Diplotheca .…”