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 Diploneis cf. weissflogii (Schmidt) Cleve (1894: 91) ( Figs 41, 42 ) References: Podzorski & Håkansson, 1987 , p. 61, pl. 21, figs 6, 7; Witkowski et al. , 2000 , pl. 92, figs 4, 5; Hein et al. , 2008 , pl. 27, fig. 9; Lobban et al. 2012 , pl. 46, figs 5–7; Pennesi et al. 2017, p. 209, figs 58–65, 107. Features : Length 34–81 μm, width 12–24 μm, striae 7–9 in 10 μm. Description : Valves panduriform with rounded apices. Raphe branches straight, ending centrally in simple pores. Valve center with small nodule and three parallel transapical striae on each side. Axial area narrow, longitudinal canals linear. Transapical striae radiate. Remarks : Our specimens show the typical areolae and central nodule that occur in D . weissflogii , but exhibit three parallel transapical striae on each side of the central nodule which are not commonly found in this species. Most of the observed specimens appeared with one half of the valve slightly larger than the other. Ecology and Distribution: Widely distributed in all warm water coasts. Previously known from the Gulf (Hendy 1970, Al-Yamani & Saburova 2011). Common in Basra corals