Hantzschia yili, You & Kociolek, 2015

You, Qingmin, Kociolek, John Patrick & Wang, Quanxi, 2015, The diatom genus Hantzschia (Bacillariophyta) in Xinjiang Province, China, Phytotaxa 197 (1), pp. 1-14 : 6-8

Hantzschia yili Q-M You & J. P. Kociolek, sp. nov. (Figs 26–39; figure 27 = holotype)

Valves distinctly asymmetrical to the apical axis. Ventral margins almost straight throughout, slightly concave at center. Dorsal margins slightly convex, poles obliquely cuneate and narrowly protracted, straight narrowly-rostrate. Length 54–89 μm, breadth 7–8 μm. Fibulae, 6–9 in 10 μm, almost equidistant, the median two clearly more distant than the others, each of them mostly connected with 1–2 transapical costae, rarely with 3, primarily at center. External raphe branches are unilaterally bent, continuous in valve center (Fig. 35); internal raphe branches not continuous, central raphe endings slightly deflected to dorsal margin (Fig. 36). Striae parallel throughout, 17–18 in 10 μm. Striae puncta not discernible in LM. In SEM, puncta appear as small, rounded poroids (Figs 35–39), c. 36–44 in 10 μm; puncta extend from one margin of the valve to the other. Helictoglossae prominent and aligned with the raphe at both ends of the valve interior at both poles (Fig. 39).

Type:— CHINA. Chabuchaer. ( SHTU, slide XJ-010181! Holotype illustrated in figure 27).

Etymology:— The specific epithet refers to the Yili River; this species is only found there.

Distribution and ecology:— Yili River, Chabuchaer, Xinjiang, China. Altitude 600m, pH 8.2, collected in the wetland near the Yili River.

Observations:— Hantzschia yili is relatively similar to H. angusta Lange-Bertalot (2003: 52) in valve outline; these two species may easily be confused with each other in LM. Hantzschia yili is wider and has a lower striae density than H. angusta (see Table 3).