Ultrastructural Observations on Nanoplankton Collected from the Coast of Jugoslavia and the Bay of Algiers

Abstract

A large number of nanoplankton species originally found in the sea around Britain have now been collected from other northern temperate waters (see Leadbeater, 1972 c; Manton & Leadbeater, 1974). It was, therefore, of considerable interest to collect nano-plankton from warmer waters such as those of the Adriatic and Mediterranean. The larger plankton of both the Adriatic and Mediterranean has been the subject of investigation by a succession of scientists from many countries (for references see Tregouboff, 1952). Whilst many workers acknowledged the importance of the smaller plankton from these areas (e.g. Bernard, 1958; Lalami-Taleb, 1971) only a few have attempted to study and identify species belonging to this group. In this respect the meticulous work of Lohmann (1902a, 1911) and Schiller (19136, 19256) requires special mention. Lohmann (1902a), working on the phytoplankton from the coast of Sicily, first used the technique of pumping sea water through filter paper and in this way he was able to collect and identify many minute species for which he later suggested the name ‘ Nannoplankton’ (Lohmann, 1911). On a later excursion to the Atlantic Ocean, Lohmann (1911) found the gentle centrifugation of sea-water samples was a more satisfactory and less destructive way of concentrating small cells. Schiller's most important contribution concerns a phytoplankton study carried out as part of an international hydrobiological survey of the Adriatic Sea during the years 1911–14. Schiller's findings confirmed many of Lohmann's previous observations and added a further range of new species including many green flagellates (Schiller, 1913 6, 1925b).