• Journal of Species Research
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.237-245
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• 2021

Tidal flats are well developed in and around the Yellow Sea of Northeast Asia, and benthic diatoms are the most important primary producers in corresponding habitats. In the present study, the taxonomy and distribution of small negligible diatom species from Northeast Asian tidal flats are investigated for better understanding of the diversity of Korean marine benthic diatoms. The presence of Plagiogrammopsis minima and Diploneis aestuarii, which may have been ignored and/or misidentified due to their small size, were identified by both means of light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Plagiogrammopsis minima has never been reported from Korea before the present study, while Diploneis aestuarii was only once mentioned without any photographic information. Accordingly, we provide the morphological characteristics of the two species in detail with LM and SEM observation. Information on the regional distribution of the two species is also provided. Results of the present study contribute to the better understanding of the biodiversity of the Korean marine benthic diatoms.