TWO UNUSUAL DIATOMS FROM NEW ZEALAND:TABULARIA VARIOSTRIATAA NEW SPECIES ANDEUNOPHORA BERGGRENII

Several new diatom taxa have been described from nearly pristine habitats in New Zealand, but the new species Tabularia variostriata, described here, was abundant in a Wellington City suburban stream. It has typical features of Tabularia species: internally its pores are sunk down well below prominent short ribs, and externally its pores are occluded by cribra. It differs from other Tabularia species in having uniseriate striae with variable numbers of pores, the striae forming irregular edges to a wide sternum. The innermost pores on the longer striae appear enlarged as spacing of pores in striae increases near the edge of the sternum. The Australasian freshwater diatom Eunophora berggrenii, formerly known as Amphora berggrenii Cleve or ‘Eunophora sp. 1’, was studied and a lectotype was designated. Tasmanian specimens differed subtly from the type material in valve dimensions and may represent a different but closely related species.