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 fusca (Gregory) Cleve (1894: 93) ( Fig. 37 ) References : Hendey, 1964 : p. 225, pl. 32, fig. 4; Ricard, 1977 , pl. 4,figs 1, 2; Witkowski et al. , 2000 , p. 186, pl.94, fig. 16. Features : Length 120 μm, width 55 μm, striae 7–8 in 10 μm. Description : Valves linear-elliptical with rounded apices. Raphe branches straight, ending centrally in expanded pores. Central area apically dilated. Valve face shows narrow axial area and longitudinal canals decreasing in width toward the apices. Transapical striae parallel at the center, strongly radiate near the apices. Ecology and Distribution: Widely distributed marine littoral species. Previously reported from the Gulf ( Hendey 1970 , Al-Yamani & Saburova 2011). Few specimens were encountered in this study.