New Insights into Plagiogrammaceae (Bacillariophyta) Based on Multigene Phylogenies and Morphological Characteristics with the Description of a New Genus and Three New Species

PLoS One. 2015 Oct 14;10(10):e0139300. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0139300. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Plagiogrammaceae, a poorly described family of diatoms, are common inhabitants of the shallow marine littoral zone, occurring either in the sediments or as epiphytes. Previous molecular phylogenies of the Plagiogrammaceae were inferred but included only up to six genera: Plagiogramma, Dimeregramma, Neofragilaria, Talaroneis, Psammogramma and Psammoneis. In this paper, we describe a new plagiogrammoid genus, Orizaformis, obtained from Bohai Sea (China) and present molecular phylogenies of the family based on three and four genes (nuclear-encoded large and small subunit ribosomal RNAs and chloroplast-encoded rbcL and psbC). Also included in the new phylogenies is Glyphodesmis. The phylogenies suggest that the Plagiogrammaceae is composed of two major clades: one consisting of Talaroneis, Orizaformis and Psammoneis, and the second of Glyphodesmis, Psammogramma, Neofragilaria, Dimeregramma and Plagiogramma. In addition, we describe three new species within established genera: Psammoneis obaidii, which was collected from the Red Sea, Saudi Arabia; and Neofragilaria stilus and Talaroneis biacutifrons from the Mozambique Channel, Indian Ocean, and illustrate two new combination taxa: Neofragilaria anomala and Neofragilaria lineata. Our observations suggest that the biodiversity of the family is strongly needed to be researched, and the phylogenetic analyses provide a useful framework for future studies of Plagiogrammaceae.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biodiversity*
  • China
  • Chloroplasts / genetics
  • DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / genetics
  • Diatoms / classification*
  • Diatoms / genetics*
  • Diatoms / physiology
  • Evolution, Molecular
  • Genes, Chloroplast*
  • Indian Ocean
  • Likelihood Functions
  • Mozambique
  • Phylogeny
  • RNA, Ribosomal / genetics
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Species Specificity
  • Terminology as Topic

Substances

  • DNA, Ribosomal Spacer
  • RNA, Ribosomal

Grants and funding

This research has been funded by Polish National Science Centre (NCN) in Cracow grant no. N2012/04/A/ST10/00544, Grant Recipent AW, available http://www.marinebenthicdiatoms.univ.szczecin.pl/homepage-1. This study also get funded from King Abdulaziz University (KAU) Vice President for Educational Affairs Prof. Dr. Abdulrahman O. Alyoubi and from Chinese Academy of Sciences President’s International Fellowship Initiative (PIFI). The funder has no contributions to study design, data collection and preparation of the manuscript.