Marine benthic diatoms in the newly discovered coral reefs, off Basra coast, Southern Iraq Author Al-Handal, Adil Y. Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Sweden Author Thomas, Evan W. Biology Department, Waubonsee Community College, Sugar Grove, Illinois, USA Author Pennesi, Chiara Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italia text Phytotaxa 2018 2018-10-12 372 2 111 152 http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.372.2.1 journal article 10.11646/phytotaxa.372.2.1 1179-3163 13728822 Lyrella spectabilis (Gregory) D.G. Mann in Round et al . (1990: 673) ( Fig. 17 ) References : Hustedt 1961–66, p. 474, fig. 1532 (as Navicula spectabilis Gregory (1857: 481) ; Witkowski et al. 2000 , p. 236, pl. 95, figs 1, 2, pl. 96, fig.1, pl. 99, fig. 1. Features : Length 85–130 μm, width 40–64 μm, striae 7–9 in 10 μm. Description : Valves broadly elliptical with rounded apices and straight raphe fissures. Hyaline lateral areas lanceolate, becoming narrower near the apices. Transapical striae parallel at the center and strongly radiate at the poles. Remarks : This species differs from Lyrella hennedyi (W.Smith) Stickle & D.G.Mann (in Round et al . 1990: 672 ) and L. lyra (Ehrenberg) Karajeva (1978: 1595) by the shape of the axial area. Ecology and Distribution : A widely distributed marine species. Previously reported from the Gulf ( Hendey 1970 ). Frequent in Basra corals.