Climacospheniaceae Round

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 : 13

Family Climacospheniaceae Round

Climacosphenia elongata Bailey (Pl. 6, Figs 1 , 2) References: Round 1982, figs 4-6, 14; Stidolf et al. 2000, pl. 7, fig. 152, pl. 16, fig. 93.

Features: Apical axis 180-300 µm, transapical axis: 12-18 µm, striae 36 in 10 µm. Valves heteropolar, club-shaped with broadly rounded upper poles. The lower part of the valve, nearly from valve center, start to become much narrower with parallel margins. Sternum indistinct. Two longitudinal ribs interrupting the transapical striae.

Remarks: The most common species under Climacosphenia are C. moniligera Ehrenberg and C. elongata . Both species look similar in size or outline of the valve, stria density is not a reliable criterion for distinguishing species as these may overlap. The major differentiating feature under LM is the two longitudinal internal thickenings which are close to one another in C. moniligera and widely separated in C. elongata .

Occurrence: Frequent in Reunion and rare in Rodrigues Island. C. moniligera is reported from Seychelles (G) and from Rodrigues (D)

Figures

Figure 1. Map showing location of Reunion and Rodrigues Islands, Indian Ocean and sampling sites.