Luticola olegsakharovii Zidarova & Levkov & Vijver 2014, sp. nov.

• Main Authors: Zidarova, Ralitsa, Levkov, Zlatko, Vijver, Bart Van De
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: Biodiversity; Taxonomy; Chromista; Bacillariophyta; Bacillariophyceae; Naviculales; Naviculaceae; Luticola; Luticola olegsakharovii; Antarctic; Deception Island; Fildes; Fildes peninsula; King George Island; Livingston Island; South Shetland Islands; The Antarctic; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: https://zenodo.org/record/5139046; https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5139046

Luticola olegsakharovii sp. nov. (Figs 50–64) Type:— ANTARCTICA. South Shetland Islands: King George Island, Fildes Peninsula, Sample KGI81, leg. R. Zidarova, coll. date 13/02/2013, slide no. BR-4367 (holotype), slide PLP-256 (isotype University of Antwerp, Belgium), BRM-ZU9/71 (isotype BRM). Etymology:—The species is named after Oleg Sakharov, Base Commander of "Bellingshausen" Russian Station on King George Island during 2012-2013 Russian Antarctic overwintering Expedition to thank him for his hospitality and his professionalism in solving successfully the problems we had during our (RZ) field trips there. Valves linear to linear-elliptic with triundulate margins and subcapitate apices. Valve length 20.6–26.0 µm, width 7.6–9.5 µm. Axial area narrow, weakly lanceolate. Central area bow-tie shaped, bordered on both sides by a single row of 2–3 areolae. One rounded isolated pore present in the central area. Raphe straight with proximal and distal raphe endings shortly bent away from the isolated pore. Striae radiate, 15–17 in 10 µm. Ecology and distribution:— Luticola olegsakharovii was observed on several islands of the South Shetland Archipelago: Livingston Island, Deception Island and King George Island. The largest populations were found in moist soils with elevated nutrient input, close to skuas nests, usually accompanied by various Pinnularia and Humidophila (formerly Diadesmis) species and other Luticola taxa. It is possible that the species is more widespread in the Antarctic but its distribution is obscured due to confusion with Luticola nivalis in the past. LM observations:— (Figs 50–62): The valves are linear to linear-elliptic with triundulate margins and subcapitate, broadly rounded apices. The undulations of the margins are rounded, with the median one slightly wider than the others. Valve dimensions (n=23): length 20.6–26.0 µm, width 7.6–9.5 µm. The axial area is narrow, weakly lanceolate and widens towards the central area. The central area is expanded into a bow-tie shaped stauros and is bordered ...