Abstract
A listing of the accepted freshwater diatom genera worldwide is presented, indicating the distribution of the genera by continent. Out of a total of 249 genera, 63 (25%) of those genera are endemic to a single continent. The continent with the largest number of endemic genera is Asia, hosting 35 endemic genera. While Asia is also the continent with the most reported genera, a regression analysis showed there is no relationship between the continental richness of genera and generic endemism. Disjunct genera, those found on two continents, represent distributions found in other groups of organisms such as in higher plants, including North America-Europe, North America–Asia and Southern Hemisphere disjunctions. There are certain lineages of freshwater diatoms where the endemic genera are restricted to specific continents: both thalassiosiroid and cymbelloid diatoms have endemics in Asia, while eunotioids have endemics in South America. Future research is suggested combining distributions over space and time related to phylogenetic relationships of diatoms.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
