Heterotrophic Flagellates from Coral Reef Sediments (Great Barrier Reef, Australia)

Abstract

Summary Heterotrophic flagellates were identified from the littoral sediments of One Tree Island (Great Barrier Reef, Australia) by light microscopy. A total of 37 species are described of which 3 are new to science. The new species are: Peranema macrostoma, Ploeotia plumosa , and Anehmia exotica , the latter also representing a new genus. One species previously described as Percolomonas membranifera was assigned to a new genus Carpediemonas . The similarities of the species composition from One Tree Island and other locations world-wide were compared using the program PRIMER. The community from One Tree Island shows considerable overlap from other marine benthic sites world-wide. Communities from littoral benthic sites form a cluster separate from pelagic communities — although there is considerable overlap in the species of smaller heterotrophic and/or bacterivorous flagellates. Most species from the benthic community of heterotrophic flagellates appear to have a world-wide distribution, and there is little evidence of endemism.