Luticola sp.

Al-Handal, Adil Y., Compère, Pierre & Criobe-Usr, Catherine Riaux-Gobin, 2016, Marine benthic diatoms in the coral reefs of Reunion and Rodrigues Islands, West Indian Ocean, Micronesica 2016 (3), pp. 1-78 : 25

Luticola sp. (Pl. 13, Fig. 8)

Features: Valves broadly elliptic with convex margins and round, non-protracted apices, 8-10 µm long, 4-6 µm wide. Axial area wide, forming a clear hyaline area, central area rectangular. There is one row of areolae running around valve margin. One circular stigma located closer to valve center than to the margin. Raphe branches straight with central raphe endings slightly deflected away from the stigma. Terminal raphe endings are curved to the same direction and terminate at valve apices. Transapical striae composed of 2-3 rows of round to elongate areolae, 24-26 in 10 µm. Remarks: Very small species with scattered striae and areolae with irregular shape.

Occurrence: Rare in Reunion and Rodrigues Islands.