Gato hyalinus gen. et sp. nov., an unusual araphid tube-dwelling diatom from Western Pacific and Caribbean islands

• DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.127.1.6
• Publication Date: 2013-08-29T04:07:49Z
• Authors: CHRISTOPHER S. LO...; J. NELSON NAVARRO
• Keywords: Frustule; Sternum; Appendage

A new species of tube-dwelling diatom, unusual in being araphid, is described from benthic coral reef habitats Guam, Palau, Puerto Rico and Jamaica. Gato gen. nov. heteropolar heterovalvar, exhibits very fine striae delimiting a narrow irregular sternum, possesses series rimmed pores on each side the foot pole. One valve frustule has rimoportula at pole, but both valves possess head The generitype, G. hyalinus sp. forms small, branched colonies. Individual cells are oval, slightly tapered along apical axis, 30–40 µm x 13–15 µm, with 60–70 10 µm. On pole connected to sternum by diagonal striae; several additional interrupt transapical further up valves. We compare structure Florella portoricensis F. pascuensis, which we report for first time Marshall Islands, Licmophora spp. find no taxa this genus related, can identify potentially homologous among diatoms.