Abstract

The silica-scaled chrysophyte flora from Indonesian Papua was investigated by means of electron microscopy. A total of twenty-four taxa were recorded, including five belonging to Paraphysomonas, one to Chrysosphaerella, one to Spiniferomonas, fifteen to Mallomonas and two to Synura. Thirteen taxa were recorded for the first time in Indonesia. Comparison of the species composition of silica-scaled chrysophytes from different parts of the Island of New Guinea shows significant differences. A “living fossil” was discovered, Mallomonas preisigii, which was described previously from Eocene deposits in Northern Canada. Although the scales from Papua slightly differ from those of the fossil one, we believe they belong to the same morphospecies. Mallomonas preisigii can be considered as a paleoendemic species.

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