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Issue: Vol. 711 No. 1: 22 Jul. 2025
Type: Article
Published: 2025-07-22
DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.711.1.1
Page range: 1-27
Abstract views: 403
PDF downloaded: 19

A new littoral diatom genus, Lyreneis gen. nov. (Bacillariophyceae, Lyrellales, Lyrellaceae), from southwestern Japan

College of Agriculture, Food and Environment Sciences, Department of Environmental and Symbiotic Science, Rakuno Gakuen University. 582 Bunkyodai Midorimachi, Ebetsu, 069–8501, Japan
College of Agriculture, Food and Environment Sciences, Department of Environmental and Symbiotic Science, Rakuno Gakuen University. 582 Bunkyodai Midorimachi, Ebetsu, 069–8501, Japan
Department of Botany, National Museum of Nature and Science, 4–1–1 Amakubo, Tsukuba, 305–0005, Japan
Research Center for Inland Seas (KURCIS), Kobe University, 5–1–1 Fukaeminami-machi, Higashinada-ku, Kobe, 658-0022, Japan
Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University, Motooka 744, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka, 819-0395, Japan
diatom new species Lyrella undulata morphology rbcL extraction intertidal zone Algae

Abstract

Extremely rare raphid diatoms occur on the Imazu tidal flat, Fukuoka, Japan. We identified a new taxon, Lyreneis gen. nov., based on morphological structure and genetic analysis. Although this genus belongs to the family Lyrellaceae, it does not possess a lateral area, as seen in Navicula, Petroneis, and Moreneis, but has an undulating transapical axis and shows patterns of punctae and striae similar to those of Petroneis. Detailed inspection of the microstructural characteristics and the results of rbcL analysis of this diatom confirmed that the establishment of a new genus is in order. Manual isolation is effective for obtaining material of extremely rare species such as Lyreneis undulata gen. et sp. nov. The detection of L. undulata demonstrates that, at least on some tidal flats, certain living organisms are present at very low abundance, meaning that these ecosystems are more biodiverse than currently known.

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How to Cite

Muto, M., Chiba, T., Tuji, A., Horie, Y. & Fujibayashi, M. (2025) A new littoral diatom genus, Lyreneis gen. nov. (Bacillariophyceae, Lyrellales, Lyrellaceae), from southwestern Japan. Phytotaxa 711 (1): 1–27. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.711.1.1