Taxonomy and morphology of Calciopappus curvus sp. nov. (Syracosphaeraceae, Prymnesiophyceae), a novel appendage-bearing coccolithophore

Odysseas A Archontikis; Josué G Millán; Harald Andruleit; Lluïsa Cros; Annelies Kleijne; Mikal Heldal; Hai Doan-Nhu; Amos Winter; Leocadio Blanco-Bercial; Jeremy R Young

doi:10.1016/j.protis.2023.125983

Taxonomy and morphology of Calciopappus curvus sp. nov. (Syracosphaeraceae, Prymnesiophyceae), a novel appendage-bearing coccolithophore

Protist. 2023 Oct;174(5):125983. doi: 10.1016/j.protis.2023.125983. Epub 2023 Jul 28.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3AN, UK; Department of Earth Sciences, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK. Electronic address: odysseas.archontikis@univ.ox.ac.uk.
² Department of Earth and Environmental Systems, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN 47809, USA.
³ Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe (BGR), Stilleweg 2, 30655 Hannover, Germany.
⁴ Institut de Ciències del Mar, CSIC, Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta, 37-49, E-08003 Barcelona, Spain.
⁵ Plankton Diversity and Evolution Group, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Darwinweg 2, 2333 CR Leiden, The Netherlands.
⁶ Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Thormøhlensgate 53 A/B, 5020 Bergen, Norway.
⁷ Institute of Oceanography, Viet Nam Academy of Science and Technology, 01 Cau Da, Nha Trang, Viet Nam.
⁸ Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences - Arizona State University, 17 Biological Station, St. George's GE01, Bermuda.
⁹ Department of Earth Sciences, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK.

PMID: 37573812
DOI: 10.1016/j.protis.2023.125983

Abstract

Based on scanning electron microscopy observations, a new species of the coccolithophore genus Calciopappus (Syracosphaeraceae, Prymnesiophyceae) is described from the surface waters off Bergen and from the lower photic zone of sub-tropical and tropical waters. Morphological, coccolith rim structure and biometric analyses strongly support separation of this morphotype from the two described Calciopappus species, but inclusion of it within the genus. The new form differs from the other species in being noticeably smaller and in morpho-structural details of each of the three coccolith types that form the coccosphere: (1) the body coccoliths have an open central area; (2) the whorl coccoliths have a wide central opening and two thumb-like protrusions; and (3) the appendage coccoliths are curved. On this basis, the species is formally described as Calciopappus curvus sp. nov., its systematic affinity is discussed and compared with other extant coccolithophores.

Keywords: Biodiversity; Lower Photic Zone; Morphology; Phytoplankton; Syracosphaerales; Taxonomy.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Haptophyta*
Microscopy, Electron, Scanning