Halamphora costata (W.Smith) Levkov (2009: 181)

Al-Handal, Adil Y., Thomas, Evan W. & Pennesi, Chiara, 2018, Marine benthic diatoms in the newly discovered coral reefs, off Basra coast, Southern Iraq, Phytotaxa 372 (2), pp. 111-152 : 137

Halamphora costata (W.Smith) Levkov (2009: 181) ( Fig. 72 )

References: Levkov 2009, p. 181, fig. 14,

Features: Length 65–105 μm, width 14–16 μm, striae 7–8 in 10 μm on dorsal side, 9–10 in 10 μm on ventral side, areolae coarse, 9 in 10 μm.

Description: Valves dorsiventral with protracted capitate apices, slightly ventrally bent. Dorsal margin convex, ventral margin weakly concave. Axial area narrow, central area indistinct. Raphe biarcuate, proximal endings slightly bent dorsally.

Remarks: Observed specimens are larger than those reported in the literature where valves do not exceed 80 μm. Witkowski et al. (2000) reported valve width reaching 65 μm which is very broad although their image did not show such dimension.

Ecology and Distribution: Widely distributed marine species but has also been recorded as epipelic on brackish mudflats in South Iraq ( Al-Handal 2009). Previously reported from the Gulf (Al-Yamani & Saburova 2011). Common in Basra coral.

Figures

FIGURES 62–74. Marine benthic diatoms in coral reefs off Basra.Fig. 62. Pleurosigma diverse-striatum, Fig. 63. Pleurosigma strigosum, Figs 64, 65. Plagiotropis lepidoptera, Fig. 66. Stauroneis sp., Fig. 67. Amphora arcuata, Fig. 68. Amphora arenaria, Fig. 69. Amphora cf. commutata, Fig. 70. Amphora cingulata, Fig. 71. Halamphora coffeaeformis, Fig. 72. Halamphora costata, Figs 73,74. Amphora graeffeana.