Plant Ecology and Evolution 152(2): 378-384, doi: 10.5091/plecevo.2019.1616
Adlafia neoniana (Naviculaceae), a new diatom species from forest streams in Puerto Rico
expand article infoIonel Ciugulea‡, Summyr Burroughs§, Chiara Defrancesco|, Daniel Spitale|, Donald F. Charles, Horst Lange-Bertalot#, Marco Cantonati¤
‡ atrick Center for Environmental Research, Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19103, United States of America§ Department of Biodiversity, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States of America| MUSE - Museo delle Scienze, Limnology & Phycology Section, Corso del Lavoro e della Scienza 3, I-38123 Trento, Italy¶ Patrick Center for Environmental Research, Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19103, United States of America# Goethe Universität Frankfurt, Biologicum, Max-von-Laue Straβe 13, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany¤ MUSE - Museo delle Scienze, Trento, Italy

Corresponding author: Marco Cantonati ( marco.cantonati@muse.it )

© Ionel Ciugulea, Summyr Burroughs, Chiara Defrancesco, Daniel Spitale, Donald F. Charles, Horst Lange-Bertalot, Marco Cantonati.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation: Ciugulea I, Burroughs S, Defrancesco C, Spitale D, Charles DF, Lange-Bertalot H, Cantonati M (2019) Adlafia neoniana (Naviculaceae), a new diatom species from forest streams in Puerto Rico. Plant Ecology and Evolution 152(2): 378-384. https://doi.org/10.5091/plecevo.2019.1616
Open Access
Abstract

Background and aims – The samples on which this study is based were collected in two streams in Puerto Rico as part of a long-term monitoring program conducted by the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON). Detailed study of the diatom assemblages revealed the occurrence of a new diatom species belonging to the genus Adlafia.

Methods – The study considered 82 samples of epilithic diatoms from two streams in Puerto Rico (Rio Cupeyes and Rio Guilarte) subjected to different degrees of anthropogenic impacts. The new species description is based on high-quality Nomarski (DIC) LM micrographs which document the full spectrum of shape variability along the size diminution series (including girdle views), and SEM images documenting valve ultrastructure (including detailed internal views). In addition we provide information about ecological preferences with respect to trophic state / nutrients, habitat within the stream channel / microhabitat (riffle, run, pool), and season of maximum occurrence.

Key results – The new species is described as Adlafia neoniana Cantonati sp. nov. It resembles A. drouetiana but has lanceolate (instead of triundulate) outline, slightly-subcapitate to subrostrate ends (instead of subcapitate to capitate), and higher stria density. It is also similar to A. muscora but differs by elliptic-lanceolate (instead of linear-lanceolate) outline, broader valves, and higher stria density. Moreover, the new species was most abundant in an undisturbed, oligotrophic, shaded forest stream whilst A. drouetiana is known from Brazil to be tolerant to organic pollution and eutrophication.

Conclusions – Adlafia neoniana can be differentiated from other similar species in the light microscope by recognizable characters or character combinations. Its discovery and characterization is a contribution to the knowledge of the still understudied biodiversity of microorganisms in tropical streams.

Keywords
tropical diatoms, Adlafia, Adlafia neoniana, Adlafia drouetiana, Adlafia muscora, morphology, new species, ecology, streams, Puerto Rico

References

  • Cantonati M., Kelly M.G., Lange-Bertalot H. (2017) Freshwater benthic diatoms of Central Europe: over 800 common species used in ecological assessment. Koeltz Botanical Books, Schmitten-Oberreifenberg, Germany.
  • Cantonati M., Lange-Bertalot H. (2006) Achnanthidium dolomiticum sp. nov. (Bacillariophyta) from oligotrophic mountain springs and lakes fed by dolomite aquifers. Journal of Phycology 42: 1184–1188. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1529-8817.2006.00281.x
  • Charles D.F., Knowles C.A., Davis R.S. (eds) (2002) Protocols for the analysis of algal samples collected as part of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment Program. Report No. 02–06. Philadelphia, Patrick Center for Environmental Research, Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University. Available from http://diatom.acnatsci.org/nawqa/Protocols2.aspx [accessed 29 Mar. 2019].
  • Heinrich C.G., Leal V.L., Schuch M., Düpont A., Lobo E.A. (2014) Epilithic diatoms in headwater areas of the hydrographical sub-basin of the Andreas Stream, RS, Brazil, and their relation with eutrophication processes. Acta Limnologica Brasiliensia 26: 347–355. https://doi.org/10.1590/S2179-975X2014000400003
  • Jüttner I., Bennion H., Carter C., Cox E.J., Ector L., Flower R., Jones V., Kelly M.G., Mann D.G., Sayer C., Turner, J.A., Williams D.M. (2018) Freshwater diatom flora of Britain and Ireland. Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum of Wales. Available from https://naturalhistory.museumwales.ac.uk/diatoms [accessed 29 Mar. 2019].
  • Jyrkänkallio-Mikkola J., Siljander M., Heikinheimo V., Pellikka P., Soininen J. (2018) Tropical stream diatom communities – the importance of headwater streams for regional diversity. Ecological Indicators 95: 183–193. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2018.07.030
  • Kociolek J.P., de Reviers B. (1996) The diatom types of Emile Manguin. II. Validating descriptions and designation of types for the New Caledonia species. Cryptogamie, Algologie 17: 193–215.
  • Kociolek J.P., Balasubramanian K., Blanco S., Coste M., Ector L., Liu Y., Kulikovskiy M., Lundholm N., Ludwig, T., Potaova M., Rimet F., Sabbe K., Sala S., Sar E., Taylor J., Van de Vijver B., Wetzel C.E., Williams D.M., Witokowski A., Witokowski J. (2018) DiatomBase. Available from http://www.diatombase.org/ [accessed 29 Mar. 2019].
  • Kulikovskiy M.S., Lange-Bertalot H., Metzeltin D., Witkowski A. (2012) Lake Baikal: Hotspot of endemic diatoms I. Iconographia Diatomologica 23: 1–607.
  • Lange-Bertalot H. (2001) Diatoms of Europe: Navicula sensu stricto, 10 genera separated from Navicula sensu lato, Frustulia. Diatoms of Europe 2: 1–526.
  • Lange-Bertalot H., Genkal S.I. (1999). Diatoms from Siberia I - Islands in the Arctic Ocean (Yugorsky-Shar Strait). Iconographia Diatomologica 6: 1–303.
  • Liu B., Williams D.M., Ou Y. (2017) Adlafia sinensis sp. nov. (Bacillariophyceae) from the Wuling Mountains Area, China, with reference to the structure of its girdle bands. Phytotaxa 298: 43–54. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.298.1.4
  • Lobo E.A., CallegaroV.L., Hermany G., Bes D., Wetzel C.E., Oliviera M.A. (2004) Use of epilithic diatoms as bioindicators from lotic systems in southern Brazil, with special emphasis on eutrophication. Acta Limnologica Brasiliensia 16: 25–40.
  • Lobo E.A., Wetzel C.E., Ector L., Katoh K., Blanco S., Mayama S. (2010) Response of epilithic diatom communities to environmental gradients in subtropical temperate Brazilian rivers. Limnetica 29: 323–340.
  • Metzeltin D., Lange-Bertalot H. (1998) Tropical diatoms of South America I: About 700 predominantly rarely known or new taxa representative of the neotropical flora. Iconographia Diatomologica 5: 3–695.
  • Monnier O., Ector L., Rimet F., Ferrėol M., Hoffman L. (2012) Adlafia langebertalotii sp. nov. (Bacillariophyceae), a new diatom from the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg morphologically similar to A. suchlandtii comb. nov. Nova Hedwigia 130: 131–140.
  • Morales E.A., Le M. (2005) A new species of the diatom genus Adlafia (Bacillariophyceae) from the United States. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 154: 149–154. https://doi.org/10.1635/0097-3157(2004)154
  • Moser G., Lange-Bertalot H., Metzeltin D. (1998) Insel der Endemiten Geobotanisches Phänomen Neukaledonien (Island of endemics New Caledonia – a geobotanical phenomenon). Bibliotheca Diatomologica 38: 1–464.
  • Parker S. (2018) AOS Protocol and Procedure: Periphyton and Phytoplankton Sampling. Date: 02/13/2018. NEON.DOC.003045. Revision: C. Available from https://data.neonscience.org/documents/10179/1883159/NEON.DOC.003045vC/aa4e2c95-eaff-445b-9efb-97ec80a4d1dd [accessed 29 Mar. 2019].
  • Patrick R. (1944) Estudo limnológico e biológico das lagoas de região litorânea Sul-Riogradense. II. Some new diatoms from the Lagoa dos Quadros. Boletim do Museu Nacional, Rio de Janeiro, Nova série Botânica 2: 1‒6.
  • R Core Team (2018) R, A Language and Environment for Statistical Computing. Vienna, R Foundation for Statistical Computing. Available from https://www.r-project.org [accessed 29 Mar. 2019].
  • Round F.E., Crawford R.M., Mann D.G. (1990) The diatoms: Biology and morphology of the genera. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
  • Sokal R.R., Rohlf F.J. (1995) Biometry: The Principles and Practice of Statistics in Biological Research. 3rd Edition. New York, W.H. Freeman and Co..
  • Spaulding S.A., Edlund M. (2009) Adlafia. In: Diatoms of North America. Available from https://diatoms.org/genera/adlafia [accessed 29 Mar. 2019].
  • Torres S., Quiñones F. (2003) Resumen de la Geología de Puerto Rico. USGS. Available from http://www.recursosaguapuertorico.com/Geologia_de_PR_por_ST_y_FQ_Rev_9Jan12.pdf [accessed 8 Apr. 2019].
  • Tusset E.A., Tremarin P.I., Straube A., Ludwig T.A. (2017) Morphology of Adlafia taxa (Bacillariophyta, Cymbellaceae), with proposition of two new species from Brazil. Phytotaxa 306: 259–274. https:/doi.org/ https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.306.4.2