• ALGAE
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.299-315
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• 2011

The morphology, taxonomy, and distribution of species belonging to the diatom family Rhizosoleniaceae were studied from the marine coastal waters of Korea. Rhizosolenid diatom taxa were collected at 30 sites from September 2008 to February 2010 and were analyzed by light and scanning electron microscopy. We identified 6 rhizosolenid genera, including Rhizosolenia, Proboscia, Pseudosolenia, Neocalyptrella, Guinardia, and Dactyliosolen. We describe 5 genera in this study, except Rhizosolenia. Five genera were compared in detail with congeneric species. Six genera within the family Rhizosoleniaceae were divided into two groups based on morphological diagnostic characters including valve shape, areolae pattern, the shape of external process, and girdle segments in the column. The first group had a conoidal valve and loculate areolae, which comprised Rhizosolenia, Proboscia, Pseudosolenia, and Neocalyptrella, and the second group of Guinardia and Dactyliosolen showed a flat or rounded valve and poroid areolae. Important key diagnostic characters were based on valve shape, areolae pattern on the segment, external process, position of the tube, and the valve margin. D. phuketensis was new to Korean coastal waters.

• ALGAE
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.141-152
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• 2011

The present study describes the morphology, taxonomy, and distribution of species belonging to the diatom genus Rhizosolenia in Korea's marine coastal waters. From September 2008 to February 2010, we collected phytoplankton samples at 30 sites along the Korean coastline and studied them by light and scanning electron microscopy. We found 6 rhizosolenid genera in our samples: Rhizosolenia, Dactyliosolen, Guinardia, Pseudosolenia, Proboscia, and Neocalyptrella. In the present paper, we studied the following rhizosolenid species and compared them with congeners: R. pungens, R. fallax, R. imbricata, Rhizosolenia sp. 1, and Rhizosolenia sp. 2. The morphology of R. pungens exhibits important diagnostic characteristics in its girdle segment structure in the column and in its external process. To distinguish R. fallax and R. imbricata, the most important characteristics are the striation and the velum structure. R. pungens occurred in our samples all along the Korean coast. Only rarely did we find R. imbricata in the samples and at low abundance. We recorded R. fallax, Rhizosolenia sp. 1 and Rhizosolenia sp. 2 for the first time in Korean waters, but they rarely occurred.