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A new marine diatom species, Auricula weizhouensis sp. nov., was isolated from Weizhou Island, Guangxi, China, and the morphology was examined in detail. The frustule was symmetrical and quadrate, with four rounded angles. The valve was longitudinally reniform. The vegetative cells of A. weizhouensis were 28.9–35.0 μm in length and 22.2–28.9 μm in width. The mature cingulum was composed of five to six open bands. A large plate-like chloroplast was observed on the ventral side of the girdle. There were 5–7 poroids per 1 μm in a row along the median line. The number of radiate and biforked striae was 15–19 per 10 μm on the ventral margin and 21–31 per 10 μm on the dorsal margin. Striae were biseriate with two rows of areolae (12–14 areolae per 1 μm). Both sides of the double-sigmoid raphe canal had a longitudinal costa. Approximately 21–31 fibulae per 10 μm were arrayed in a row on each longitudinal costa. More importantly, A. weizhouensis and Auricula densestriata could be distinguished from other Auricula species by their characteristic concave ventral margin, and the ventral margin of A. weizhouensis was approximately straight in the middle, whereas that of A. densestriata was inflected. In addition, molecular data from partial SSU rDNA sequences showed that A. weizhouensis (strain WZ-1704-E8) belonged to the genus Auricula, with Auricula complexa (KX120684) as the nearest neighbour (4.58% p-distance). Therefore, both morphological and phylogenetic analyses supported A. weizhouensis as a new species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many achnanthoid diatoms were transferred from Achnanthes or Achnanthidium to new genera based on characteristics observed via scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In this study, we isolated and cultured two Korean freshwater achnanthoid diatoms (Bacillariophyceae), studied their morphological characteristics using SEM, and assessed their molecular characteristics by analysing the nuclear small subunit (SSU) and ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (rbcL) genes. We emended the description of Lemnicola hungarica with regard to the spindly pore opening of the hymen and the internally convex occlusions of elongated pores on the mantle. In addition, we demonstrated that the valves of L. hungarica are occasionally biseriate to uniseriate towards the valve edge. A morphological comparison of Lemnicola strains and species showed that biseriate rows of areolae are no longer an essential characteristic for allocation to Lemnicola. Based on the SEM and molecular analysis results, we also established a new, small-celled monoraphid species, Lemnicola uniseriata sp. nov., which has elongated areolae occluded by radiately structured hymenes and an elliptic valve shape. The uniseriate areolae of L. uniseriata showed that Lemnicola includes both uniseriate and biseriate striae. Additionally, the results of SSU and rbcL sequence analyses provided strong evidence to support the recognition of L. uniseriata as a new species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prorocentrum micans is an extremely variable dinoflagellate species, with many different local forms reported worldwide. Because of this morphological diversity, it is important to establish whether these various forms belong to P. micans sensu stricto. For this study, P. micans -like specimens were isolated from several localities in the southern coastal waters of Korea and Japan. The morphological characteristics and the molecular signatures of P. micans were re-examined. Moreover, a new Prorocentrum species, Prorocentrum koreanum sp. nov. was established through detailed light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy observations. Examination of the periflagellar platelets revealed that P. koreanum sp. nov. differs from P. micans . Furthermore, P. koreanum and P. micans exhibited different distribution patterns of trichocyst pores. Through molecular phylogeny analysis of small subunit (SSU) rRNA, internal transcribed spacer (ITS), and large subunit (LSU) rRNA sequence, we found P. koreanum to be more closely related to P. mexicanum and P. rhathymum than to P. micans . Additionally, ITS2 compensatory base changes also provide strong evidence to support P. koreanum and P. micans being separate species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ciguatera poisoning is mainly caused by the consumption of reef fish that have accumulated ciguatoxins (CTXs) produced by the benthic dinoflagellates Gambierdiscus and Fukuyoa. China has a long history of problems with ciguatera, but research on ciguatera causative organisms is very limited, especially in the Beibu Gulf, where coral reefs have been degraded significantly and CTXs in reef fish have exceeded food safety guidelines. Here, five strains of Gambierdiscus spp. were collected from Weizhou Island, a ciguatera hotspot in the Beibu Gulf, and identified by light and scanning electron microscopy and phylogenetic analyses based on large and small subunit rDNA sequences. Strains showed typical morphological characteristics of Gambierdiscus caribaeus, exhibiting a smooth thecal surface, rectangular-shaped 2′, almost symmetric 4″, and a large and broad posterior intercalary plate. They clustered in the phylogenetic tree with G. caribaeus from other locations. Therefore, these five strains belonged to G. caribaeus, a globally distributed Gambierdiscus species. Toxicity was determined through the mouse neuroblastoma assay and ranged from 0 to 5.40 fg CTX3C eq cell−1. The low level of toxicity of G. caribaeus in Weizhou Island, with CTX-contaminated fish above the regulatory level in the previous study, suggests that the long-term presence of low toxicity G. caribaeus might lead to the bioaccumulation of CTXs in fish, which can reach dangerous CTX levels. Alternatively, other highly-toxic, non-sampled strains could be present in these waters. This is the first report on toxic Gambierdiscus from the Beibu Gulf and Chinese waters and will provide a basis for further research determining effective strategies for ciguatera management in the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]