<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>We present the first report and description of the pinnate diatom <italic>Haslea</italic> sp. from the northeastern Adriatic Sea, Croatia, producing a blue pigment. This organism is very similar to the well-known <italic>Haslea ostrearia</italic>, the first described “blue” diatom producing marennine, i.e. the pigment involved in the greening of oysters, and recently described <italic>H</italic>. <italic>provincialis</italic>. However, the Croatian diatom slightly differs from other <italic>Haslea</italic> species in its morphology and 18S rRNA sequence. The discovery of <italic>Haslea</italic> sp. from Croatia confirmed the possible existence of more species among the representatives of blue <italic>Haslea</italic> species, as previously assumed. The discovery of several genetically distinct populations of <italic>Haslea ostrearia</italic>, new species <italic>H</italic>. <italic>karadagensis</italic>, <italic>H</italic>. <italic>provincialis</italic> and <italic>Haslea</italic> sp. from Croatia, suggests that species richness in the group of “blue” diatoms is probably underestimated and still more new blue diatoms remain undiscovered. This also raises questions about previously published reports and observations of <italic>Haslea</italic> distribution in the Mediterranean Sea whether these organisms really belong to <italic>H</italic>. <italic>ostrearia</italic>.</p></abstract>

We present the first report and description of the pinnate diatom Haslea sp. from the northeastern Adriatic Sea, Croatia, producing a blue pigment. This organism is very similar to the well-known Haslea ostrearia, the first described “blue” diatom producing marennine, i.e. the pigment involved in the greening of oysters, and recently described H. provincialis. However, the Croatian diatom slightly differs from other Haslea species in its morphology and 18S rRNA sequence. The discovery of Haslea sp. from Croatia confirmed the possible existence of more species among the representatives of blue Haslea species, as previously assumed. The discovery of several genetically distinct populations of Haslea ostrearia, new species H. karadagensis, H. provincialis and Haslea sp. from Croatia, suggests that species richness in the group of “blue” diatoms is probably underestimated and still more new blue diatoms remain undiscovered. This also raises questions about previously published reports and observations of Haslea distribution in the Mediterranean Sea whether these organisms really belong to H. ostrearia.

A blue-pigmented hasleoid diatom, <italic>Haslea</italic> sp., from the Adriatic Sea

Oceanological and Hydrobiological Studies

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A blue-pigmented hasleoid diatom,  sp., from the Adriatic Sea

We present the first report and description of the pinnate diatom Haslea sp. from the northeastern Adriatic Sea, Croatia, producing a blue pigment. This...

A blue-pigmented hasleoid diatom, Haslea sp., from the Adriatic Sea

Article Category: Original research paper

Online veröffentlicht: 13. März 2018

Seitenbereich: 60 - 66

Eingereicht: 19. Juli 2017

Akzeptiert: 25. Sept. 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/ohs-2018-0007

© 2018 Faculty of Oceanography and Geography, University of Gdańsk, Poland

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.