Research Article |
Corresponding author: Rafał M. Olszyński ( rafal.olszynski@biol.uni.lodz.pl ) Academic editor: Bing Liu
© 2024 Rafał M. Olszyński, Piotr K. Zakrzewski, Frédéric Rimet, Julia Sulkowska, Łukasz Peszek, Joanna Żelazna-Wieczorek.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation:
Olszyński RM, Zakrzewski PK, Rimet F, Sulkowska J, Peszek Ł, Żelazna-Wieczorek J (2024) Morphology and phylogeny of Nitzschia nandorii sp. nov. (Bacillariophyceae), a new small-celled lanceolate species from a post-mining reservoir. PhytoKeys 241: 1-26. https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.241.117406
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Post-mining reservoirs are distinguished by characteristic environmental conditions where specific diatom communities can be observed. Reservoirs created as a part of the reclamation plan after human mining activities are marked by unique chemical and physical water parameters. In the course of research on the diatoms from Bogdałów reservoir, we examined the taxonomic and morphological diversity of Nitzschia taxa from the section Lanceolatae occurring in a post-mining lignite reservoir. Our study describes a new species of Nitzschia from a post-mining reservoir, Nitzschia nandorii Olszyński, Zakrzewski & Żelazna-Wieczorek, sp. nov. Morphometry and morphology analyses of new species were performed with light and scanning electron microscopy. Chloroplast morphology analysis was conducted with differential interference contrast microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Molecular data from SSU 18S, rbcL and psbC sequences were obtained from cultures of this taxon. Differential diagnosis of Nitzschia nandorii Olszyński, Zakrzewski & Żelazna-Wieczorek, sp. nov. with co-occurring taxa: N. lacuum and N. alpinobacillum was performed using morphological traits and nMDS analysis of the valves’ morphometry.
Diatom, new species, Nitzschia, phylogeny, post-mining reservoir, taxonomy
Post-mining reservoirs are unique and in many cases present extreme water environments where specific diatom communities can be observed (
Nitzschia Hassall, 1845 (Bacillariophyceae) is one of the most numerous and various non-monophyletic genera where several phylogenetic clades and morphological sections can be distinguished (
This paper aims to study the taxonomical and morphological diversity of Nitzschia taxa from the Lanceolatae section found in a studied lignite post-mining reservoir. Based on multi-threaded analyses which include the molecular analysis of three DNA markers--those encoding the small-subunit of ribosomes (SSU 18S rDNA), and chloroplast-encoded genes rbcL and psbC-- plus morphometry and morphology using light (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), including details of chloroplast morphology using differential interference contrast microscopy (DIC) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), we have described Nitzschia nandorii sp. nov.
Samples were collected from the Bogdałów reservoir which is located in Bogdałów village in Greater Poland Voivodeship near the city of Turek (Fig.
Location of studied Bogdałów reservoir A location of Greater Poland Voivodeship in Poland and Bogdałów village in Greater Poland Voivodeship B location of the sampling site, white arrowhead sampling site, white arrow inflow of stream (http://earth.google.com).
The study site (52°2'53.938"N, 18°35'49.646"E) is located on the opposite side of the inflow stream supplying the reservoir to avoid the direct impact of the variability of disturbance caused by lotic water (Fig.
To obtain cleaned diatom frustules, the environmental and cultured samples were treated according to the procedure outlined by Żelazna-Wieczorek (2011). The purified material was applied to coverslips and, after drying, mounted to glass microscope slides in Naphrax® resin (Brunel Microscopes Ltd., UK). The taxonomic, and morphometric analyses were performed with a Nikon Eclipse E400 microscope with 1000× magnification (plan oil-immersion objective 100×/1.40 Plan APO DIC H) and a NIKON DS-L1 digital camera (Nikon, Japan) was used to obtain photomicrographs of cleaned frustules from recent and previous samples. For SEM, a few drops of cleaned material were placed on Whatman Nuclepore polycarbonate membrane filters (5 µm pore diameter) (Fisher Scientific, Germany). Once dried, the membranes were mounted on aluminium stubs and coated with 20 nm of gold using a turbo-pumped Quorum Q 150T ES coater (Judges Scientific plc, UK). SEM observations were performed using a Hitachi SU8010 (Hitachi, Ltd, Japan) microscope. To obtain photomicrographs of chloroplasts from living cultured cells, confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) with 3D imaging was performed using Leica SP8 3D visualization (Leica Camera AG, Germany).
For the morphometric analysis, 83 valves of three different Nitzschia taxa were described and measured, using only light microscopy, by six different traits: (1) width, (2) length, (3) L/W ratio, number of (4) striae and (5) fibulae in 10 µm, if the number of striae was indistinguishable we assumed more than 30 striae in 10 µm, (6) presence =1 or absence = 0 of wider interspace between centre fibulae, and (7) shape of the apices (subcapitate = 1, capitate = 2) (see Suppl. material
Total DNA isolation from diatom monoclonal cultures was performed using the Chelex® 100 (Bio-Rad, CA, USA) method described by
Marker/ Forward/reverse primer; name (sequence) | Tm | Author |
---|---|---|
SSU 18S | ||
SSU_F (5’-TGTAAAACGGCCAGTATTCCAGCTCCAATAGCG-3’) | 50 °C | this study |
SSU_R (5’-CAGGAAACAGCTATGACGACTACGATGGTATCTAATC-3’) | ||
rbcL | ||
rbcL40 (5’-GGACTCGAATYAAAAGTGACCG-3’) | 56 °C |
|
rbcL1444 (5’-GCGAAATCAGCTGTATCTGTWG-3’) | ||
psbC | ||
psbC-P1.2 (5’-CCACGTGGAAACGCYCTTTA-3’) | 57 °C |
|
psbC-P3 (5’-CTTGCCAAGGTTGRATATCATT-3’) |
The phylogenetic analyses on studied samples and other species of the Nitzschia genus were performed separately for each marker, i.e. SSU, rbcL, and psbC, as well as based on a concatenated SSU-rbcL-psbC matrix (2236 bp). Eunotia bilunaris (Ehrenberg) Schaarschmidt, 1880 served as an outgroup. For taxa in the phylogenetic analysis with incomplete gene sampling, such regions were treated as ‘missing data’. Voucher information for the specimens included in this study, with corresponding GenBank accession numbers, are presented in Suppl. material
Measurement of parameters collected in October 2022 indicates a slightly alkaline water reaction (pH = 7.98) with conductivity of 658 µS·cm-1 and temperature of 11.2 °C. The ecological status of water quality in Bogdałów reservoir based on IPS and IBD 2014 indices (calculated from previous research) varied and depended on the season (
Slide number: D.BOF2.191022, Algae Collection Department of Algology and Mycology, University of Lodz. The holotype is illustrated in Fig.
Slide number: SZCZ 29106, Szczecin Diatomological Collection, University of Szczecin, Poland.
Poland. Greater Poland Voivodeship, Bogdałów. Post-mining reservoir Bogdałów. 52°2'53.938"N, 18°35'49.646"E.
Nitzschia nandorii sp. nov. possesses two conical-shaped chloroplasts arranged apically with a central, longitudinal groove (Fig.
Photomicrographs of chloroplast Nitzschia nandorii sp. nov. A–J light microscope with DIC photomicrographs K–S Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy photomicrographs, each pair of photomicrographs presents the same chloroplasts from different angles K–N presented single-cell, conical-shaped chloroplasts with visible longitudinal groves O–S presented chloroplasts during cell division. Scale bars: 10 µm (A–J); 2 µm (K–S).
SEM photomicrographs of Nitzschia nandorii sp. nov. external valve view A valve view with two rows of areolae on the raphe canal (black arrow), single and double areolae, distal raphe fissures are strongly hooked and deflect (white arrow) B, C valve view with distal raphe fissures deflected to the proximal mantle D decomposed frustule with visible valvocopula with open pores (white arrow). Scale bars: 5 µm.
SEM photomicrographs of Nitzschia nandorii sp. nov. external view A, B angle view with visible keel B white arrow indicates uninterrupted raphe C, D apices view with distal raphe fissures deflected to the opposite direction C white arrow indicates rows of areolae on proximal mantle E, F close-up central part of the frustule E white arrow indicates missing of central raphe fissures. Scale bars: 5 µm (A, B); 1 µm (C–F).
SEM photomicrographs of Nitzschia nandorii sp. nov. internal view A valve view with areolae extended on the proximal mantle (white arrow), there is no wider extension between central fibulae (black arrow) B, C central view B areolae on the proximal mantle are arranged the same as on the raphe canal: single and double areolae (white arrow) C doubled areolae are visible from inside the raphe canal (white arrow), narrow mantle with scalloped edge (black arrow) D, E apices view D areolae on the mantle covered by hymenes (white arrow) E distal fissure creates helictoglossa (white arrow). Scale bars: 5 µm (A); 1 µm (B–E).
The phylogenetic reconstructions based on the ML and BI strategy for the concatenated SSU-rbcL-psbC matrix, as well as separate SSU, rbcL, and psbC analysis, were performed. The three-genes tree placed strains D.LDZ8 and D.LDZ12 (Fig.
The phylogenetic tree of the Nitzschia genus with Eunotia bilunaris as the outgroup based on the concatenated nuclear (SSU) and chloroplast (rbcL and psbC) DNA markers (total 2236 bp). The tree presents the position of newly identified Nitzschia nandorii sp. nov. The numbers above branches represent posterior probabilities from BI analysis followed by bootstrap values from ML analysis. Asterisk (*) represents BI value = 1, and ML value = 100. En dash (-) represents BI value below 0.95, and ML value below 70. Grey box: Lanceolatae section with double rows of areolae on the raphe canal. The topology of the tree is based on BI analysis.
The phylogenetic tree of the Nitzschia genus with Eunotia bilunaris as the outgroup based on chloroplast (rbcL) DNA marker (1147 bp). The tree presents the position of newly identified Nitzschia nandorii sp. nov. The numbers above branches represent posterior probabilities from BI analysis followed by bootstrap values from ML analysis. Asterisk (*) represents BI value = 1, and ML value = 100. En dash (-) represents BI value below 0.95, and ML value below 70. Grey box: Lanceolatae section with double rows of areolae on the raphe canal. The topology of the tree is based on BI analysis.
The species name comes from the main character of the TV series “What We Do in the Shadows” Nandor the Relentless, and the name of the authors’ cat (RMO, PKZ).
Nitzschia nandorii sp. nov. is a species with a small cell size that can be overlooked or misidentified with other taxa, especially when they occur in one sample. The valve shape of the small specimens of N. fonticola can be misidentified with N. nandorii sp. nov., however visible striation and the wider relative spacing between the central fibulae compared to the rest of the fibulae in N. fonticola distinguish these two taxa (
Comparison of morphological features of Nitzschia nandorii sp. nov. with similar species. * literature data, n/d – no data.
Valve outline | Valve length [µm] | Valve width [µm] | Number of striae in 10 µm | Number of fibulae in 10 µm | Length/width ratio | Additional features | Reference | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
N. nandorii sp. nov. | Distended, widely lanceolate with short protracted subcapitate ends | 9.0–12.0 (n = 19) | 2.6–3.3 (n = 19) | 40–46 (n = 17) | 14–16 (n = 19) | 3.44–4.80 (n = 19) | All fibulae are relatively equidistant, and central fissures missing. Two rows of striae on raphe canal | This paper |
N. lacuum | Lanceolate with capitate to acutely rounded ends | 13.0–22.0 (n = 48) 10.0–20.0* | 2.0–3.5 (n = 48) 2.0–3.0* | 36–38 (n = 11) 35–40* | 13–18 (n = 48) | 4.38–10.00 (n = 48) | All fibulae are relatively equidistant, and central fissures missing. | This paper; |
N. alpinobacillum | Lanceolate with elongated and capitate ends | 15.0–22.0 (n = 16) 14.0–24.0* | 3.0–4.0 (n = 16) 3.0–4.0* | 23–24 (n = 16) 25–27* | 10–14 (n = 16) 9–11* | 4.21–6.41 (n = 16) | All fibulae are relatively equidistant. Two rows of striae on raphe canal | This paper; |
N. dealpina | Relatively short, appearing more widely lanceolate with short protracted and acutely rounded | 8.0–13.0* | 3.2–4.2* | 26–28* | 12–14* | n/d | No wider extension between central fibulae. One row of striae on raphe canal |
|
N. fonticola | Widely or narrowly lanceolate with drawn-out, subcapitate ends | 7.0–46.0* | 2.5–5.5* | 24–33* | 9–14* | n/d | Relatively wide gap between central fibulae |
|
N. bryophila | Lanceolate to linear-lanceolate with short or slightly capitate ends | 15.0–26.5* | 4.0–5.0* | 30–32* | 9–10* | n/d | No wider extension between central fibulae. |
|
N. bacillum | Lanceolate with pointed or slightly capitate ends | 12.0–20.0* | 2.0–3.5.0* | 27–32* | 12–16* | n/d | No wider extension between central fibulae. One row of striae on raphe canal |
|
N. rosenstockii | Lanceolate with short, beak-like, pointed rounded ends | 8.0–16.0* | 3.0–4.0* | 44–46 | 17–20 | n/d | No wider extension between central fibulae. Hyaline area in centre of the valve |
|
The outline of the frustules is lanceolate with capitate to acutely rounded apices (Fig. 3AF–AW). Valves are 13–22 µm length and 2.0–3.5 µm in width. The ratio of length and width is 4.38–10.00. Striae 36–37 in 10 µm (undistinguished in LM). Fibulae are visible 11–18 in 10 µm. Striae are uniseriate, arranged transapically. Along the edge of the valve, where the raised raphe canal is located, two longitudinal rows of areolae are present (Fig.
SEM photomicrographs of Nitzschia lacuum A–C valve view A visible two rows of areolae on the raphe canal (white arrow), distal raphe fissures are strongly hooked and deflect (black arrow) B frustule with a visible proximal mantle, the arrangement of areolae in the proximal mantle is the same as in the raphe canal, central view with raphe without central fissures, the small ridge on the raphe canal (white arrow) C decompose frustule, proximal mantle with areole and at least one open into the raphe canal (white arrow), valvocopula with scalloped edges (black arrow) D apex with strongly hooked distal raphe fissure E internal view of the apex with visible distal raphe fissure terminate with helictoglossa. Scale bars: 5 µm (A–C); 0.5 µm (D, E).
The outline of the frustules is lanceolate, distended with capitate to acutely rounded apices (Fig. 3AX–BI). Valves are 15–22 µm length and 3.0–4.0 µm in width. The ratio of length and width is 4.21–6.41. Striae 23–25 in 10 µm visible in LM. Fibulae are visible 10–14 in 10 µm. Striae are uniseriate, arranged transapically. Areolae are covered by the hymenes. Along the edge of the valve, where the raised raphe canal is located, two longitudinal rows of areolae are present – a doublet nearer to the raphe opened to the interior of the raphe canal and a single areola at the junction with the valve face opened to the valve interior. (Fig.
SEM photomicrographs of Nitzschia alpinobacillum A external view of the valve, two rows of areolae on the raphe canal, single and doubled areolae, covered by hymenes (white arrow), distal raphe fissure strongly deflected and extends on the proximal mantle B internal view of the valve, there is no wider extension between central fibulae C, D internal view of the apices C areolae on the proximal mantle are arranged the same as on the raphe canal: single and double areolae and covered by hymenes (white arrow), narrow distal mantle (black arrow) D distal raphe fissure terminates with helictoglossa. Scale bars: 5 µm (A–C); 1 µm (D).
nMDS analysis (stress value = 0.06) of 83 individuals revealed three different groups corresponding to three identified taxa (Fig.
Nitzschia nandorii sp. nov. is a typical representative of Grunow’s Lanceolatae section: lanceolate valve shape, strongly eccentric raphe system, and visible and easily distinguished fibulae (
We are grateful to Dr Magdalena Gapińska from the Laboratory of Microscopic Imagine and Specialized Biological Techniques, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz for the support with the CLSM data and to Dr Paulina Nowicka-Krawczyk from the Department of Algology and Mycology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz for the molecular analysis support.
The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
No ethical statement was reported.
No funding was reported.
Conceptualization: JŻW, RMO. Formal analysis: PKZ, JŻW, RMO. Investigation: JŻW, FR, RMO, PKZ. Methodology: ŁP, RMO, PKZ. Supervision: JŻW. Validation: ŁP, FR. Visualization: JŻW, ŁP. Writing – original draft: RMO, JS, PKZ. Writing – review and editing: FR, PKZ, ŁP, JŻW, RMO.
Rafał M. Olszyński https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0667-472X
Piotr K. Zakrzewski https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7205-8901
Frédéric Rimet https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5514-869X
Julia Sulkowska https://orcid.org/0009-0003-8456-1760
Łukasz Peszek https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9132-2210
Joanna Żelazna-Wieczorek https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1044-8151
All of the data that support the findings of this study are available in the main text or Supplementary Information.
Measurements of selected traits of Nitzschia spp from one environmental sample
Data type: xlsx
List of 116 diatom taxa used in the phylogenetic analysis with GenBank accession numbers
Data type: docx
File with psbC alignment
Data type: fasta
File with rbcL alignment
Data type: fasta
File with SSU alignment
Data type: fasta
File with three-gene concatenated alignment
Data type: fasta
Partitioning data
Data type: txt
Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy projection of rotating chloroplast of Nitzschia nandorii sp. nov.
Data type: gif
SEM photographs of N. nandorii form culture
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Explanation note: A valve view, the white arrow indicates a lack of central raphe fissures B valve view C apice view, the white arrow indicates a row of areolae on the proximal mantle.
Maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree of Nitzschia spp. based on the psbC molecular marker
Data type: jpg
Bayesian Inference phylogenetic tree of Nitzschia spp. based on the psbC molecular marker
Data type: jpg
Maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree of Nitzschia spp. based on the SSU rDNA molecular marker
Data type: jpg
Bayesian Inference phylogenetic tree of Nitzschia spp. based on the SSU rDNA molecular marker
Data type: jpg