Desmids (Desmidiaceae, Zygnematophyceae) with cylindrical morphologies in the coastal plains of northern Bahia, Brazil

Abstract

Our knowledge of desmids with cylindrical morphologies in the state of Bahia, Brazil, is quite limited, only 13 such taxa having been described to date. The present study reports the results of a taxonomic inventory of desmids (Desmidiaceae) with cylindrical morphologies from the coastal plains of northern Bahia. During the summer months (January-March) and winter months (June-August) of two separate years (2007 and 2009), we collected a total of 90 samples of planktonic and periphytic material from lotic and lentic environments within three environmentally protected areas within the state (Rio Capivara, Lagoas de Guarajuba, and Litoral Norte). We identified 32 taxa, distributed among six genera (Docidium, Haplotaenium, Ichthyocercus, Pleurotaenium, Tetmemorus, and Triploceras); three were new additions to the algal flora of Brazil (Haplotaenium minutum var. minutum f. maius, Ichthyocercus angolensis, and Pleurotaenium coronatum var. nodulosum). In addition, the geographical distributions of 20 taxa were expanded to include northeastern Brazil. The genus Docidium was reported for the first time in Bahia.

Keywords

• Continental algae
• Streptophyta
• Taxonomic inventory