A new thecate, photosynthetic, sand-dwelling marine dinoflagellate, Laciniporus arabicus gen. et sp. nov., is described from the subtidal sediments of the Omani coast in the Arabian Sea, northern Indian Ocean, based on detailed morphological and molecular data. Cells of L. arabicus are small (16.2-30.1 μm long and 13.1-23.2 μm wide), dorsoventrally compressed, with a small apical flap-shaped projection pointing to the left. The thecal plate pattern is distinguished by minute first precingular plate and sulcus, which extends into the epitheca, with large anterior and right sulcal plates. The Kofoidian thecal tabulation is Po, X, 4', 2a, 7'', 6c, 6s, 5''', 2''''. Morphologically, the revealed plate pattern has an affinity to the Peridiniales, and LSU rDNA based phylogenetic analyses placed L. arabicus within the Thoracosphaeraceae, close to calcareous-cyst producing scrippsielloids, predatory pfiesteriaceans, and photosynthetic freshwater peridinioids Chimonodinium lomnickii and Apocalathium spp. However, the thecal plate arrangement of L. arabicus differs noticeably from any currently described dinoflagellates, and the species stands out from closely related taxa by extensive differences in physiology and ecology.
Keywords: Laciniporus arabicus; Arabian Sea; Dinophyceae; Oman; Peridiniales; benthic dinoflagellates; molecular phylogeny; morphology; taxonomy.
© 2018 Phycological Society of America.