Morphology and phylogeny of Halamphora yongxingensis sp. nov. (Bacillariophyta), a new marine benthic diatom isolated from Yongxing Island, South China Sea

Halamphora yongxingensis sp. nov. , a marine benthic diatom isolated from an intertidal reef around the Yongxing Island, South China Sea (16° 58’ 43.3” N, 112° 14’ 41.7” E), is described in this study on the basis of light and electron microscopy. This diatom is also compared with related taxa such as Halamphora subturgida (Hustedt) Levkov and Amphora subtropica Wachnicka & Gaiser. In addition, phylogenetic analyses based on 18S rDNA and rbc L gene were also conducted. The results revealed that H. yongxingensis was clustered into the Halamphor a clade, closely related to Halamphora montana (Krasske) Levkov. We discuss morphological differences between H. yongxingensis and H. montana .