Afrocymbella gibba, Stone & Wilson & Jovanovska, 2022

Stone, Jeffery R., Wilson, Mallory C. & Jovanovska, Elena, 2022, The genus Afrocymbella (Bacillariophyceae) from lakes Malawi and Tanganyika, with description of new fossil and extant species, Phytotaxa 556 (1), pp. 21-48 : 35-36

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/phytotaxa.556.1.3

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6951991

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03AC87E9-4550-FFAD-FF28-FB74FE6D0B21

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Afrocymbella gibba
status

sp. nov.

Afrocymbella gibba sp. nov. (LM Figs 116–135 View FIGURES 116–135 , SEM Figs 136–143 View FIGURES 136–139 View FIGURES 140–143 )

Description:— Valve length 52.5–93.0 μm, valve breadth 16.5–22.5 μm. Length to breadth ratio: 2.8–4.2. Valves distinctly dorsiventral and heteropolar, semirhomboid-lanceolate ( Figs 116–143 View FIGURES 116–135 View FIGURES 136–139 View FIGURES 140–143 ). Dorsal margin widely arched ( Figs 116–135 View FIGURES 116–135 ). Ventral margin ranging from slightly to strongly tumescent, typically broad and spanning ½ – 2/3 length of valve, otherwise weakly convex ( Figs 116–135 View FIGURES 116–135 ). APF of round poroids present at footpole ( Figs 136, 138 View FIGURES 136–139 ), covered internally by knobby jointed ridge of silica ( Fig. 143 View FIGURES 140–143 ). Valve apices narrowly rounded, with headpole becoming slightly rostrate in smaller specimens ( Figs 116–135 View FIGURES 116–135 ); internally with small to indistinguishable pseudosepta ( Figs 142, 143 View FIGURES 140–143 ). Axial area narrow, curved, slightly ventrally displaced ( Fig. 136 View FIGURES 136–139 ). Central area large, oval shaped, notably wider and more diamond-shaped on dorsal side ( Fig. 139 View FIGURES 136–139 ). Prominent single (rarely 2) stigmoid present on dorsal side of central nodule ( Fig. 136 View FIGURES 136–139 ), externally round to transapically elongated ( Fig. 139 View FIGURES 136–139 ), while internally elongated slit ( Fig. 141 View FIGURES 140–143 ). Raphe curved and slightly sinusoidal ( Fig. 136 View FIGURES 136–139 ). External proximal raphe ends slightly expanded into small pores, dorsally deflected ( Fig. 139 View FIGURES 136–139 ). External distal raphe terminal fissures ventrally deflected ( Figs 136–138 View FIGURES 136–139 ). Internal proximal raphe ends covered by nodular or flap-like silica development formed by primary side of valve ( Figs 140, 141 View FIGURES 140–143 ). Internal distal raphe terminal fissures slightly elevated into small lobed helictoglossa at some distance from valve apices ( Figs 140, 142, 143 View FIGURES 140–143 ). Striae radiate or radiate-curved, uninterruptedly continuing onto valve mantle ( Fig. 136 View FIGURES 136–139 ), 13–15 in 10 μm (counted dorsally at central area). External areolae slit-like poroids, appearing blocky in LM, 16–18 in 10 μm. Internal areolae ellipsoid without velum ( Figs 140, 142 View FIGURES 140–143 ).

Type:— REPUBLIC OF MALAWI. Lake Malawi , Chembe Bay, at 469 m elevation, rock scrape, 14°00’43.4” S 34°51’00.1” E, E.Jovanovska, 22 nd September 2018 (holotype designated here, circled specimen ANS-GC17200! = Fig. 120 View FIGURES 116–135 , isotypes circled specimens ANS-GC17201!, BM-101981! Cleaned type materials: ANS-GCM 33029. GoogleMaps

Registration: https://zoobank.org/NomenclaturalActs/429ab0b2-a77b-4be4-8101-0c5b99bb6b27

Etymology:— The species name ‘ gibba ’ refers to the wide, tumescent shape of the ventral margin that distinguishes it from other similar large Afrocymbella species.

Distribution:— Afrocymbella gibba sp. nov. has been observed in both Lake Malawi and Lake Tanganyika. It was common in samples from Chembe (Cm) and Mangochi (Ma) in the southern sub-basin of Lake Malawi ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 ). We also observed many specimens with similar characteristics to this taxon from the sediments of the core MAL05-1C, although rare in occurrence.

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