Abstract

HERNANDEZ-ALMEIDA, Óscar Ubisha; LOPEZ-FUERTE, Francisco Omar; HERRERA-SILVEIRA, Jorge Alfredo  and  ALDANA-ARANDA, Dalila. First record of the diatom Navicula lusoria for Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. Hidrobiológica [online]. 2014, vol.24, n.3, pp.281-286. ISSN 0188-8897.

Knowledge about benthic diatom flora in Mexico is partial and in many regions, among which the Mexican Caribbean stands, studies are lacking. Species belonging to the genus Navicula represent a challenge due to similarity in morphological and morphometric characters coupled with the limited information of morphological variation within populations by environmental changes. The aim of this study is to present the first record of Navicula lusoria to Mexico and the Caribbean Sea providing a description based on light and scanning electron microscopy. Navicula lusoria was observed as epipelic in brackish water in Xel-Há, Quintana Roo, hence, represents the expansion of the distribution range of this species. Although this species can easily be confused with Navicula digitoradiata, the original description of N. lusoria and the typification of N. digitoradiata allow to discriminate both species.

Keywords : Benthic diatoms; Mexican Caribbean; Navicula lusoria; Peninsula of Yucatan; Xel-ha.

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