Taxonomy and geographical distribution of the diatom genus Epithemia Kützing in water bodies of Central Asia

Abstract

The morphology of the diatom genus Epithemia from ecosystems of Central Asia (Russia and Mongolia) is studied. It is shown that in the studied ecosystems there are species with local or endemic distribution, like in Lake Baikal, and taxa known from the Holarctic. Original morphological descriptions and pictures of 13 taxa are given. Three new taxa are described. They are E. compacta Kulikovskiy & Lange-Bertalot sp. nov. from Lake Baikal; E. selengaensis Vishnjakov, Kulikovskiy & Genkal sp. nov. from the Selenga River; and E. perlongicornis Vishnjakov, Kulikovskiy & Genkal sp. nov. from water bodies of the Great Lakes Depression in Mongolia.