Taxonomy and morphology of Calciopappus curvus sp. nov. (Syracosphaeraceae, Prymnesiophyceae), a novel appendage-bearing coccolithophore

16 pages, 11 figures, 2 tables, supplementary material https://doi.org/10.1016/j.protis.2023.125983

Based on scanning electron microscopy observations, a new species of the coccolithophore genus Calciopappus (Syracosphaeraceae, Prymnesiophyceae) is described from the surface waters off Bergen and from the lower photic zone of sub-tropical and tropical waters. Morphological, coccolith rim structure and biometric analyses strongly support separation of this morphotype from the two described Calciopappus species, but inclusion of it within the genus. The new form differs from the other species in being noticeably smaller and in morpho-structural details of each of the three coccolith types that form the coccosphere: (1) the body coccoliths have an open central area; (2) the whorl coccoliths have a wide central opening and two thumb-like protrusions; and (3) the appendage coccoliths are curved. On this basis, the species is formally described as Calciopappus curvus sp. nov., its systematic affinity is discussed and compared with other extant coccolithophores

This study is a contribution to the EC-TMR research project CODENET, Coccolithophorid Evolutionary Biodiversity and Ecology Network (contract no. ERB-FRMX-CT97-0113) and the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS) Grant-in-Aid awarded to JGM. Part of this study is also a contribution to the Bermuda Biodiversity Project (BBP), Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo, Department of Environment & Natural Resources (special permit no. SP201201). Partial support has been provided by the NASA Indiana Space Grant Consortium (award no. 80NSSC20M0121) via a Doctoral Fellowship to JGM (US), HICCUP (RTI2018-095083-B-100) from MICINN (Spain) to LC, WOTRO Science for Global Development URG W84-76 (The Netherlands) to AK and the Viet Nam Academy of Science and Technology (grant no. NVCC17.02/22-23) to HDN. JGM, AW and LBB acknowledge the Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study (BATS; NSF OCE-1756105 and OCE-2122606) and the Simons Foundation International (BIOSSCOPE). OAA acknowledges an INA Foundation Katharina von Salis Graduate Fellowship. This work was supported by the UK Natural Environment Research Council under grant no. NE/S007474/1 to OAA

With the institutional support of the ‘Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence’ accreditation (CEX2019-000928-S)

Peer reviewed