Five new species of the nanoflagellatePirsonia in the German Bight, North Sea, feeding on planktic diatoms

• DOI: 10.1007/bf02367152
• Publication Date: 2006-04-07T19:01:10Z
• Authors: S. F. Kühn; G. Drebes; E. Schnepf
• Keywords: 0106 biological sciences; 14. Life underwater; 01 natural sciences

The structure, development, and host range of five newly detected species of the phagotrophic nanoflagellatePirsonia are described. They feed on planktic diatoms common in the North Sea:P. verrucosa sp. nov. (onRhizosolenia delicatula), P. formosa sp. nov. (onRhizosolenia setigera), P. diadema sp. nov. (onCoscinodiscus granii andC. wailesii), P. eucampiae (onEucampia zodiacus) andP. mucosa sp. nov. (onRhizosolenia shrubsolei). The occurrence of resting cysts inPirsonia guinardiae is reported. The impact ofPirsonia on phytoplankton communities is discussed.