Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Responsive image
Issue: Vol. 755 No. 3: 11 May 2026
Type: Article
Published: 2026-05-11
DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.755.3.1
Page range: 253-281
Abstract views: 0
PDF downloaded: 0

A survey of Desmids (Zygnematophyceae, Charophyta) in Lake Sentarum National Park, West Kalimantan, Indonesia: new records, rediscovered endemics, and a nomenclatural note

Biology Education Program, University of Palangka Raya, Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia; Center for Development of Science, Technology and Peatland Innovation (PPIIG), University of Palangka Raya, Palangka Raya, Indonesia
Research Center for Biosystematics and Evolution, Research Organization for Life Sciences and Environment, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Bogor, Indonesia
freshwater algae microalgae biodiversity peat swamp flora Southeast Asia morphotaxonomy Indonesian endemic species Algae

Abstract

This study presents a comprehensive survey of desmids (Zygnematophyceae) from Lake Sentarum National Park (LSNP), West Kalimantan, Indonesia, representing the first dedicated assessment of this group in the area since the mid-20th century. A total of 62 taxa of Desmidiales were documented, comprising 15 genera within the families Closteriaceae, Desmidiaceae, and Mesotaeniaceae. Of these, 34 taxa (54.8%) constitute new distribution records, including 21 species newly recorded for Indonesia and 13 for Kalimantan. One new form, Euastrum longicolle f. oenpelliense Adam & Prabowo, is proposed to replace an illegitimate later homonym. The study also confirms the persistence of two Indonesian endemic taxa, Micrasterias anomala var. kalimantana and M. quadridentata var. indonensiensis, originally described from the region over six decades ago. These findings significantly expand current knowledge of desmid diversity and distribution in Indonesia and highlight LSNP as an important centre of freshwater microalgal biodiversity within tropical peat swamp ecosystems.

References

  1. Aboal, M. (1991) Aportación al conocimiento de las algas epicontinentales del S.E. de España VIII, Desmidíaceas y Mesoteniáceas. Acta Botanica Malacitana 16 (2): 325–337. https://doi.org/10.24310/abm.v15i.9290
  2. Adam, C. (2022) Variety of cell size of Cosmarium spp. and Euastrum spp. (Desmidiaceae, Charophyte) from the aquatic environment around Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. Jurnal Biota 8 (1): 1–10. https://doi.org/10.19109/Biota.v8i1.8002
  3. Adam, C., Kenins, A. & Prabowo, D.A. (2025) Diversity and new records of desmids (Zygnematophyceae, Charophyta) in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. Phytotaxa 691 (2): 125–150. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.691.2.2
  4. Agarkar, D.S., Agarker, M.S. & Banerjee, S. (1983) Desmids of Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India. Bibliotheca Phycologica 66: 333–370. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00038862
  5. Anissimova, O.V. & Guiry, M.D. (2021a) Taxonomic and nomenclatural notes on desmids I. Euastrum circulare Hassall ex Ralfs and Euastrum sinuosum Lenormand ex W.Archer (Zygnematophyceae, Desmidiaceae). Notulae Algarum 188: 1–4.
  6. Anissimova, O.V. & Guiry, M.D. (2021b) Taxonomic and nomenclatural notes on desmids II. Infraspecific taxa of Euastrum neosinuosum O.V.Anissimova & Guiry (Zygnematophyceae, Desmidiaceae). Notulae Algarum 221: 1–8.
  7. Biswas, K. (1949) Common fresh & brackish water algal flora of India and Burma. Catalogue of Indian Myxophyceae (blue green algae), Chlorophyceae (green algae), Xanthophcyeae (yellow green algae) and Bacilleriophycene (diatoms). Part II. Records of the Botanical Survey of India, 169 pp.
  8. Bourrelly, P. (1957) Bulletin de l'Institut français d'Afrique noire, Série A: Sciences naturelles. Institut français d'Afrique noire, 1062 pp.
  9. Bourrelly, P. & Couté, A. (1991) Desmidiées de Madagascar (Chlorophyta, Zygophyceae). Bibliotheca Phycologica 86. J. Cramer, University of California, 350 pp. https://doi.org/10.2216/i0031-8884-31-3-4-373b.1
  10. Coesel, P.F.M. & Meesters, K.J. (2007) Desmids of the Lowlands: Mesotaeniaceae and Desmidiaceae of the European Lowlands. KNNV Publishing, Leiden, 352 pp. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004277922
  11. Coesel, P.F.M. & Meesters, K.J. (2013) European flora of the desmid genera Staurastrum and Staurodesmus. KNNV Publishing, Zeist, 357 pp. https://doi.org/10.1111/fwb
  12. Croasdale, H. & Flint, E.A. (1986) Flora of New Zealand: Freshwater algae, chlorophyta, desmids with ecological comments on their habitats, Volume I. V.R. Ward Govt. Printer, Wellington, 160 pp. https://doi.org/10.1002/iroh
  13. Croasdale, H., Flint, E.A. & Racine, M. (1988) Flora of New Zealand: Desmids, Volume II. DSIR, Botany division, Christchurch, 147 pp. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1756-1051.1989.tb01005
  14. Croasdale, H., Flint, E. & Racine, M. (1994) Flora of New Zealand, Desmids. Volume III. Staurodesmus, Staurastrum, and the Filamentous Desmids. DSIR, Botany Division, Christchurch, 218 pp. https://doi.org/10.1002/iroh
  15. Delgado-Fernández, E., Cruz, D., Ayavaca, R., Benítez, Á. & Hernández, B. (2025) Microalgal diversity as bioindicators for assessing and sustaining water quality in the high mountain lakes of Quimsacocha, Azuay, Ecuador. Sustainability 17 (4): 1620. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17041620
  16. Giesen, W. (2000) Flora and vegetation of Danau Sentarum: Unique lake and swamp forest ecosystem of West Kalimantan. Borneo Research Bulletin, Maine, 89 pp.
  17. Guiry, M.D. (2012) How many species of algae are there? Journal of Phycology 48 (5): 1057–1063. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1529-8817.2012.01222.x
  18. Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. (2025) AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication. National University of Ireland, Galway. Algaebase. Available from: http://www.algaebase.org (accessed 24 July 2022)
  19. Hall, J.D. & McCourt, R.M. (2015) Chapter 9—Conjugating Green Algae Including Desmids. In: Wehr, J.D., Sheath, R.G. & Kociolek, J.P. (Eds.) Freshwater Algae of North America (Second Edition). Academic Press, pp. 429–457. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-385876-4.00009-8
  20. Hirano, M. (1969) Freshwater algae from Rangtang Himal, Nepal Himalaya. Contributions from the Biological Laboratory, Kyoto University, 42 pp. [http://hdl.handle.net/2433/155943]
  21. Kenins, A. & Bruhl, J.J. (2022) Taxonomy and ecology of Sphagnum-associated Desmids from the New England Tablelands, New South Wales, Australia. Telopea 25: 391–462. https://doi.org/10.7751/telopea16305
  22. Louis, A. & Peeters, F. (1967) Observations écologiques et floristiques sur la florule algale du nord de la Campine belge. Bulletin Du Jardin Botanique National de Belgique 37: 357–443. https://doi.org/10.2307/3667467
  23. Matthews, R.A. (2023) Freshwater Algae in Northwest Washington, Volume III. Desmids, Part A. Institute for Watershed Studies, Huxley College of the Environment, Western Washington University, Bellingham, 1299 pp.
  24. Ngearnpat, N., Coesel, P.F.M. & Peerapornpisal, Y. (2008) Diversity of desmids in three Thai peat swamps. Biologia 63 (6): 897–902. https://doi.org/10.2478/s11756-008-0140-x
  25. Oliveira, I.B. de, Bicudo, C.E. de M. & Moura, C.W. do N. (2017) Novos registros de táxons dos gêneros Euastrum Ehrenb. ex Ralfs e Micrasterias C. Agardh ex Ralfs Zygnematophyceae, Desmidiaceae para a Bahia e o Brasil. Iheringia, Série Botânica 72 (2): 295–314. [https://isb.emnuvens.com.br/iheringia/article/view/272] https://doi.org/10.21826/2446-8231201772217
  26. O’Neill, E.A. & Rowan, N.J. (2022) Microalgae as a natural ecological bioindicator for the simple real-time monitoring of aquaculture wastewater quality including provision for assessing impact of extremes in climate variance – A comparative case study from the Republic of Ireland. Science of The Total Environment 802: 149800. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149800
  27. Prescott, G.W. (1970) How to know the freshwater algae. W.C. Brown Company, University of Minnesota, 348 pp.
  28. Prescott, G.W., Croasdale, H.T. & Vinyard, W.C. (1975) A synopsis of North American desmids Part II: Desmidiaceae: Placodermae Section 1. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, 275 pp.
  29. Prescott, G.W., Croasdale, H.T. & Vinyard, W.C. (1977) A synopsis of North American desmids Part II: Desmidiaceae: Placodermae Section 2. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, 413 pp.
  30. Prescott, G.W., Croasdale, H.T., Vinyard, W.C. & Bicudo, C.E. de M. (1981) A synopsis of North American Desmids Part II: Desmidiaceae: Placodermae Section 3. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, 720 pp.
  31. Ramos, G.J.P. & Moura, C.W.N. (2023) Diversity and distribution of the genus Tetmemorus (Desmidiaceae, Zygnematophyceae) in Brazil. Anais Da Academia Brasileira de Ciências 95: e20220917. https://doi.org/10.1590/0001-3765202320220917
  32. Růžička, J. (1973) Die Zieralgen der Naturschutzgebietes "Rezbinec" (Südböhmen). Preslia 45: 193–241.
  33. Scott, A.M. & Prescott, G.W. (1958) Some freshwater algae from Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory of Australia. In: Specht, R.L. & Mountford, C.P. (Eds.) Records of the American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land. 3. Botany and plant ecology. Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, pp. 9–136.
  34. Scott, A.M. & Prescott, G.W. (1960) Notes on Indonesian freshwater algae—IV. Concerning Euastrum moebii (Borge) Scott & Prescott comb. nov. and Euastrum turgidum Wallich. Reinwardtia 5 (3): 323–340. https://doi.org/10.14203/reinwardtia.v5i3.1258
  35. Scott, A.M. & Prescott, G.W. (1961) Indonesian desmids. Hydrobiologia 17 (1): 1–132. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00040416
  36. Sharma, A. & Arya, S.K. (2023) Chapter 13—Ecological and environmental services of microalgae. In: Bandh, S.A. & Malla, F.A. (Eds.) Valorization of microalgal biomass and wastewater treatment. Elsevier, pp. 261–315. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-91869-5.00007-7
  37. Teiling, E. (1954) Actinotaenium, genus desmidiacearum resuscitatum. Botanisk Notiser 4: 376–426.
  38. Wayda, M. (2023) Desmids of Gorce Mts. Geobotanical studies. Plant and Fungal Systematics 68 (1): 1–206. https://doi.org/10.35535/pfsyst-2023-0001

How to Cite

Adam, C. & Prabowo, D.A. (2026) A survey of Desmids (Zygnematophyceae, Charophyta) in Lake Sentarum National Park, West Kalimantan, Indonesia: new records, rediscovered endemics, and a nomenclatural note. Phytotaxa 755 (3): 253–281. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.755.3.1