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LM image scalebar = 10 µm = 72 pixels
SEM image scalebar = 5 µm
Observations
| Observations: | Tyler Kohler and Katerina Kopalová |
|---|---|
| Length: | 12.1–33.6 µm |
| Width: | 6.4–8.7 µm |
| Striae: | 19–22 in 10 µm |
Description:
Valves elliptical to elliptical-lanceolate with weakly convex margins and rounded, broadly rostrate to sub-capitate apices. Valve dimensions: length 12.1– 33.6 ?m, 6.4–8.7 ?m. A rounded solitary isolated pore present in the central area. Axial area slightly widening towards the center. Central area bow-tie shaped to almost rectangular, bordered on both sides by areolae. Shortened striae on isolated pore side composed of 2–3 irregular areolae, while the opposite side bordered by a single row of areolae. Raphe straight, proximal and distal raphe endings hooked opposite isolated pore. Striae irregular, 783 radiate throughout entire valve, becoming more widely spaced in the central portion of the valve, 19–22 in 10 ?m (n=22).
| Morphology: | |
|---|---|
| Distribution: | South Victorialand endemic |
Autecology:
Notes:
If observed at all, the smaller size range of this species has probably been identified as L. mutica or L. cohnii, which may be a complex similar to L. muticopsis in Antarctica (Van de Vijver & Mataloni 2008). Like the lower size range of L. cryophila, L. mutica is oval-shaped, but the latter has eccentric proximal raphe endings terminating in hooks (Levkov et al. 2013), which is visible under SEM. Furthermore, at the upper size ranges, L. cryophila has distinctly rostrate apices not present in L. mutica, and reaches a greater upper size (vs. 28 ?m for L. mutica). Luticola cohnii is another diatom reported from the Antarctic continent that resembles L. cryophila in valve outline, especially at lower size ranges. However, L. cohnii is in general longer (19–40 ?m in length) and wider (8.5–11 ?m) than L. cryophila (Levkov et al. 2013). Furthermore, L. cohnii is always oval in outline even at large sizes, while valve apices become rostrate in L. cryophila. Furthermore, the eccentric distal raphe endings in L. cohnii terminate on valve margins, whereas in L. cryophila, they terminate on the valve face (Levkov et al. 2013). Other Antarctic diatoms such as L. vermeulenii (Van de Vijver et al. 2011) may be similar in valve outline, but have a greater length and width range (24–50 ?m, 9.5–14.0 ?m). Luticola vermeulenii also has denser striae (14–814 17 in 10 ?m vs. 19–22 in 10 ?m) and differs in valve outline, never forming constrictions at the apices like the subcapitate endings in L. cryophila at upper size ranges. In the MDVs, L. cryophila is very similar in valve outline to L. bradyi, which is found in the same cryoconites. The major difference between these species is the width of valves. The upper end of the L. cryophila width range is 8.7 ?m, while the lower width range of observed L. bradyi is 10.5 ?m. Distal and proximal raphe pores are much larger in this species than in L. bradyi, which actually has a proximal raphe that resolves into slits. Also very similar is L. laeta, and it is possible that confusion between these two species has taken place in the past, as they are almost identical in their length/width ratios. However, L. cryophila has much broader, more rostrate apices than L. laeta, and has more areolae per striae, especially with regard to the shortened striae near the isolated pore in the central area, which only numbers 1–2 in L. laeta.
McMurdo Dry Valleys Waterbodies with Luticola spainiae
- Aiken Creek
- Bowles Creek
- Canada Stream
- Commonwealth Glacier
- Delta Stream
- Green Creek
- Von Guerard Stream
Original Type Description
| Author: | Kohler & Kopalová 2015 |
|---|---|
| Length: | 12.1–33.6 µm |
| Width: | 6.4–8.7 µm |
| Striae: | 19–22 in 10 µm |
Original Description:
New combination
| Author: |
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Citations
Index Nominum Algarum (INA):
- If an INA link is available, it will be shown above
- The INA is a bibliographic reference "card file" for algal taxonomy, containing nearly 200,000 names of algae (in the broad sense).
