Diploneis zhui Levkov, Plenkovic-Moraj & Sun 2023, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Sun, Geng
name: Levkov, Zlatko
name: Xiao, Weiyang
name: Moraj, Nikola
name: Udovič, Marija Gligora
name: Du, Jie
name: Chen, Qunlong
name: Plenković-Moraj, Anđelka
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2023
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Chromista
Ochrophyta
Bacillariophyceae
Naviculales
Diploneidaceae
Diploneis
Diploneis zhui

description: Diploneis zhui Levkov, Plenković-Moraj & Sun sp. nov. (LM 2–25, SEM 26–35)
Description: LM (Figs 2–25): Valves linear to linear-elliptic with broadly rounded ends. Length 18–39 μm, breadth 9.5–11.0 μm. Axial area narrow, linear, central area small, longitudinally elliptical to round. Raphe filiform, with slightly expanded central pores. Longitudinal canals present on both sides of raphe, linear, opened with two small areolae. Striae almost parallel at mid-valve to strongly radiate towards valve apices, 16–18 in 10 μm. Areolae fine, visible with LM, ca. 25 in 10 μm.
SEM (Figs 26–35): Valve face is flat and transition to the valve mantle is gradual (Figs 26, 27). Central area is slightly raised (Figs 28, 30). Raphe is linear with unilaterally deflected proximal raphe ends (Figs 28, 30). Distal raphe ends short and unilaterally bent, not passing on valve mantle (Figs 26, 29). Raphe is not surrounded with raphe ribs (Fig. 28, 30). Externally, axial area very narrow, linear bordered by longitudinal canal (Figs 26, 27). Longitudinal canal is linear with two rows of areolae occluded by cribra (Figs 29, 30). Striae uniseriate near raphe becoming biseriate towards valve margin (Figs 26, 30). Biseriate pattern of striae at marginal part visible internally in corroded specimens (Figs 33, 34). Internally, raphe is linear with simple proximal and distal raphe ends (Figs 33–35), placed in depression formed by longitudinal canal (Figs 31–35). Internally, axial area broad covered by silica plate that encloses longitudinal canal (Figs 31–35). Striae covered with thin silica layer (Fig. 35).
Type:— CHINA: Jiuzhaigou National Nature Reserve, Mirror Lake, rocks from 0.5 to 1 m deep on the east coast, coordinates 103°53′57.80” E, 33°9′34.90” N (Accession No. 42); Leg. N. Moraj & W. Xiao; collection date: 29.04.201 5, Slide HRNDC! 48J2016 (holotype), Fig. 7 represents the holotype specimen; slide MKNDC! 14382/B (isotype)
Etymology:—The species is named in honor of Zhongfu Zhu, a researcher, scientist and irreplaceable colleague of Jiuzhaigou Administrative Office, Sichuan, China, who sadly passed away.
Ecology:— Diploneis zhui occurred at 5,0 % relative abundance (total counted, 400 valves) in samples together with species that accounted for more than 5 %: Navicula cryptotenella Lange-Bertalot (in Krammer & Lange-Bertalot 1985: 62) (18.5%), Cymbella hantzschiana Krammer (2002: 47) (16.0%), Tryblionella angustata W. Smith (1853: 36) (15.0%), Nitzschia fossilis (Grunow) Grunow (in Van Heurck 1881, fig. 68: 24) (10.0%), Gomphonema acuminatum Ehrenberg (1832: 88) (6.0%) and Sellaphora Mereschkowsky (1902: 186) sp. (5.5%). Mean values of environmental parameters were: pH = 8.22, water temperature = 9.72 °C, conductivity = 351 μs/cm, Total N = 417 μg/L and Total P = 8 μg/L.
Distribution:—So far, the new species was observed only at the type locality Mirror Lake in Jiuzhai Valley.
description: Published as part of Sun, Geng, Levkov, Zlatko, Xiao, Weiyang, Moraj, Nikola, Udovič, Marija Gligora, Du, Jie, Chen, Qunlong & Plenković-Moraj, Anđelka, 2023, New diatom species Diploneis zhui sp. nov. from Jiuzhaigou National Nature Reserve, China, pp. 235-244 in Phytotaxa 629 (3) on pages 237-240, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.629.3.5, http://zenodo.org/record/10281521