Interesting Navicula Bory de Saint-Vincent species from Serbia

Abstract

The genus Navicula was originally described in 1822 by Bory de St. Vincent. The concept of Navicula has changed from extremely heterogeneous collective genus to a narrowly defined, apparently homogeneous genus. The group Navicula sensu stricto involves 250-300 species and the great majority of them live in fresh, inland waters, and few inhabit brackish waters (Lange-Bertalot 2001). Knowledge about diatom biodiversity increase as a result of a more detail morphometric analysis of the frustula by light (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Navicula splendicula was described by Van Landingham (1975). According to Lange-Bertalot (2001) it is known to inhabit southern and central Europe, with certainty. Distribution of N. splendicula from 2001 till today become wider, but in published papers SEM micrographs, as well as the dimensions of frustula, were not given and specified. LM and SEM observation of species from Serbia (Rasina and Vrla rivers) showed a variation from literature data regarding dimensions of frustula and variability of the ultrastructure of the central raphe ends. The poster illustrates all differentiating characters with brief notes on the ecology of the N. splendicula from two rivers in Serbia.