Taxonomic notes on desmids from the Netherlands II, with a description of six new species
Author
Van Westen, Marien C.
Author
Coesel, Peter F. M.
text
Phytotaxa
2018
2018-12-20
385
1
1
12
http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.385.1.9
journal article
10.11646/phytotaxa.385.1.9
1179-3163
13725813
Cosmarium kouwetsii
Van Westen et Coesel
sp. nov.
(
Figs 6
,
21–26
)
Cells about as long as broad, moderately constricted. Sinus linear, closed for the most part. Semicells in frontal view trapeziform with broadly rounded angles, in lateral view subglobose, in apical view elliptic with a slight median inflation. Cell wall smooth, provided with widely spaced, fine pores. Chloroplast with a single pyrenoid.
Dimensions: length 11–14 μm, breadth 11.5–13 μm, thickness 7.5–9 μm, isthmus 6.8–7.3 μm.
Type:—
THE NETHERLANDS
.
Drenthe
: shallow pool in Hijkerveld near Hijken,
52.920° N
,
6.487° E
, among submerged
Sphagnum
on sandy soil, pH 4.3 conductivity 52 μS
cm-1
. Van Westen, 4 Februari 2017 (
holotype
L! Hugo de Vries Lab 2018.03, preserved as a fixed natural sample).
Etymology:—The above-described species is named in honour of Dr Frans Kouwets, recognized specialist in small, taxonomically problematic
Cosmarium
species.
Differential diagnosis
:—
Cosmarium kouwetsii
belongs to a group of small-sized, smooth-walled Cosmaria the taxonomy of which often is a source of confusion by want of well-marked, differentiating characteristics. Also in relation to our newly described species a number of taxa may be found resembling it to a lesser or greater degree. In particular may be considered
Cosmarium sp
.
and
C. subadoxum
Grönblad
in
Kouwets (1987)
from the French Auvergne,
C. succisum
forma
jaoi
Woodhead et Tweed
in
Gerrath & Denny (1988)
from
Sierra Leone
,
C. geometricum
var.
suecicum
Borge
in
Taft (1945)
from Lake Erie in northern
USA
, and in
Messikommer (1963)
from western
Switzerland
.
Apart from any possibly incorrect identification, none of those taxa fully agrees with our
C. kouwetsii
. Most consistent difference is in the relative breadth of the cell isthmus and the absence of a central inflation. Where all pictures provided in the above-mentioned references show deeply constricted cells, breadth of the isthmus being at best one third of cell breadth,
C. kouwetsii
is characterized by but moderately constricted cells with an isthmus that is at least half of the cell breadth.
Cosmarium kouwetsii
was only found in rather acid moorland pools among
Sphagnum
vegetation. pH 3–5, EC 10– 60 μS
cm-1
. Accompanying desmid species:
Actinotaenium cucurbita
(Ralfs) Teiling
,
Cosmarium pyramidatum
Ralfs
,
Euastrum binale
var.
gutwinskii
(Schmidle) Homfeld
,
Micrasterias truncata
Ralfs
, and
Spondylosium pulchellum
W. Archer.