Two new species of Plagiostriata (Bacillariophyaceae) from sand sediments of southern China

Abstract

This study describes two new species of Plagiostriata: P. xiapuensis sp. nov. and P. pingtanensis sp. nov., both collected in the intertidal zone of Fujian Province, China. This is the first record of species in the genus Plagiostriata in China. The morphological characteristics of the two new species are discussed in detail using light and scanning electron microscopy. Plagiostriata xiapuensis sp. nov. is characterized by its lower stria density and simple volae-covered areolae compared to the higher stria density, small and complex volae–covered areolae in P. pingtanensis sp. nov. The morphological characteristics of these two species significantly differ from those of P. goreensis and P. baltica in sternum and areolae features, which is also discussed herein.