Archaeperidinium saanichi sp. nov. A new species based on morphological variation of cyst and theca within the Archaeperidinium minutum Jörgensen 1912 species complex

Kenneth Neil Mertens, Aika Yamaguchi, Hisae Kawami, Sofia Ribeiro, Brian S. Leander, Andrea Michelle Price, Vera Pospelova, Marianne Ellegaard, Kazumi Matsuoka

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33 Scopus citations

Abstract

In this paper we describe a new species, Archaeperidinium saanichi sp. nov. within the Archaeperidinium minutum Jörgensen 1912 species complex. We examined the morphological variation of the cyst and motile stage by incubation experiments from sediment samples collected in coastal British Columbia (Canada), and compared it to closely related species. The theca of A. saanichi is differentiated from related species by overall size, the asymmetry of the intercalary plates and the right-sulcal plate (S.d.) not touching the cingulum. We provide a key to differentiate all closely related species. A. saanichi can be readily distinguished from A. minutum by a distinctively large cyst with a broad 2a type archeopyle and regularly spaced processes with relatively broad bases and aculeate process tips. Molecular phylogenetic analyses of large and small subunit (LSU and SSU) rDNA sequences demonstrated a close affinity of this species to A. minutum; however, the relatively high level of sequence conservation in dinoflagellate rDNA sequences made these particular markers inadequate for distinguishing one species from the other. Sediment-trap data suggest that A. saanichi has a preference for cooler temperatures and lowered salinities.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)48-62
Number of pages15
JournalMarine Micropaleontology
Volume96-97
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2012
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Kenneth Neil Mertens is a postdoctoral fellow of FWO Belgium and this research was partly conducted at Nagasaki University and was supported by a Kakenhi grant 22‐00805 . Aika Yamaguchi was supported by a postdoctoral research salary from the Assembling the Tree of Life grant (NSF # EF-0629624 ) and operating funds to B.S.L. from the National Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC 283091‐09 ) and the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Programs in Evolutionary Biology and Integrated Microbial Biodiversity . This research was partly supported by NSERC's Discovery ( 224236 ) and Ship Time grants to Vera Pospelova. Andre Catrijsse (VLIZ, Belgium) is thanked for providing us with surface sediment samples from the North Sea which unfortunately did not contain any spiny brown cysts. One Effingham Inlet sediment trap sample was kindly provided by Dr. R. Timothy Patterson (Carleton University, Canada). The VENUS (Victoria Experimental Network Under the Sea) team is thanked for their assistance with collection of Saanich Inlet sediment trap material, and surface sediments from Site A in Patricia Bay. Surface sediment samples from the NE Pacific were provided by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO), Oregon State University (OSU), Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) and U.S. Geological Survey (USGSMP). The authors like to thank the editor, André Rochon and one anonymous reviewer for suggestions that significantly improved the paper.

Keywords

  • Dinoflagellate
  • LSU rDNA
  • SSU rDNA
  • Saanich Inlet
  • Single-cell PCR
  • Spiny brown cyst

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