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Plagiodinium ballux sp. nov. (Dinophyceae), a deep (36 m) sand dwelling dinoflagellate from subtropical Japan
Author(s) -
Yamada Norico,
Dawut Mahmutjan,
Terada Ryuta,
Horiguchi Takeo
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
phycological research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.438
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 1440-1835
pISSN - 1322-0829
DOI - 10.1111/pre.12336
Subject(s) - dinophyceae , dinoflagellate , biology , genus , subtropics , benthic zone , botany , phylogenetic tree , molecular phylogenetics , taxonomy (biology) , ecology , phytoplankton , biochemistry , nutrient , gene
SUMMARY A new species of marine sand‐dwelling dinoflagellate, Plagiodinium ballux N. Yamada, Dawut, R. Terada & T. Horiguchi is described from a deep (36 m) seafloor off Takeshima Island, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan in the subtropical region of the northwest Pacific. The species is thecate and superficially resembles species of Prorocentrum , but possesses an extremely small epitheca. The cell varies from ovoid to a rounded square, and is small (15.0–22.5 μm in length) and laterally compressed. The thecal plates are smooth and the thecal plate arrangement (Po, 1′, 0a, 5″, 5C, 2S, 5‴, 0p, 1″″) is similar to that of Plagiodinium belizeanum , the type species of the genus. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on SSU rDNA and partial LSU rDNA reveal that the dinoflagellate is closely related to P. belizeanum , but it can be clearly distinguished by its size and cell shape. This suite of morphological and molecular differences leads to the conclusion that this deep benthic dinoflagellate represents a new species of the genus Plagiodinium.