Frustulia tunariensis sp. nov. (Bacillariophyceae) from the Andes of Bolivia, South America

Eduardo A Morales

doi:10.3390/d12090362

Abstract

Frustulia tunariensis sp. nov. is originated from a high-altitude peatland in the Tunari Cordillera, a branch of the Andean range in Bolivia. The new taxon is distinguished by the thick longitudinal ribs, the globose polar nodule with faint helictoglossa that does not produce an apical extension, and by the high areola and stria density, not found in any of the morphologically closely related taxa. Features of the folded valvocopula, such as the presence of a siliceous membrane as pars interior, and poroids present in the tube-like portion opening as slits to the valve interior and as a single row of poroids to the exterior, are also unique characters in the new taxon. Based on a literature review, a comparison of the newly proposed species with morphologically similar taxa was made. Also, published information shows the potential of girdle bands to distinguish groups of species and species themselves within Frustulia. Likewise, remarks on the ecological and distribution aspects of Frustulia in the Bolivian Altiplano are included, focusing on taxonomic quality, geographic coverage and sampling, and potential to represent the genus in the high Bolivian Andean plateau.

Highlights

Despite a considerable number of studies, the diatoms from the Andean mountains remain poorly known [1]
Additional sampling in the Altiplano is prone to yield new taxa (e.g., [1,2,9,10,11,12,13,14,15]), as is the case of the material collected for the present study, coming from a high altitude peatland that has been subjected to human pressure only in the last decades
The species frequently included in lists are those that appear in samples from North America and Europe (e.g., Frustulia rhomboides (Ehrenberg) De Toni and F

Summary

Introduction

Despite a considerable number of studies, the diatoms from the Andean mountains remain poorly known [1]. Those studies have concentrated mainly on material collected from accessible, anthropogenically affected ecosystems or on paleo-material, often with a rather imprecise taxonomic accuracy [2]. Additional sampling in the Altiplano is prone to yield new taxa (e.g., [1,2,9,10,11,12,13,14,15]), as is the case of the material collected for the present study, coming from a high altitude peatland that has been subjected to human pressure only in the last decades. The species frequently included in lists are those that appear in samples from North America and Europe (e.g., Frustulia rhomboides (Ehrenberg) De Toni (an invalid name since the type does not correspond to a Frustulia species, but to a Navicula [16]) and F

Methods

Results

Conclusion