Study of genus Reimeria (Bacillariophyta) in the Kordan and Hazarband Rivers in the Central Alborz, Northern Iran

Reimeria Kocioleck & Stoermer is a small cosmopolitan genus introduced in ۱۹۸۷ by Kocioleck & Stoermer within Gomphonemataceae family. Species of Reimeria are biraphid and longitudinally asymmetrical with dorsiventral shape and a single stigma. For decades, only R. sinuata was reported from various localities in Iran. In the present study, the biodiversity of the genus was investigated in the Kordan and Hazarband rivers. The sampling process was carried out in ۲۰۱۹ with a total of five samples collected at five locations. A total of five species including Reimeria capitata (A.Cleve) Levkov & Ector, R. fontinalis Levkov & Ector, R. ovata (Hustedt) Levkov & Ector, R. sinuata (W.Greg.) Kociolek & Stoermer and R. uniseriata Sala, Guerrero & Ferrario were identified, three of which are new records for the diatom flora of Iran. Additionally, R. uniseriata Sala, Guerrero & Ferrario was the only taxon common to all sites and R. capitata (A.Cleve) Levkov & Ector was the least common one. R. sinuata (W.Greg.) Kociolek & Stoermer was consistently found in multiple locations across various sampling sites in Iran, but always in low abundance. Considering the species diversity observed at each investigated site, the distributional evenness of Reimeria species did not exceed ۲۰ percent in any given location. The same applies to neighboring countries rather fairly, where Turkey and Afghanistan have the most and least species diversity, respectively.

Study of genus Reimeria (Bacillariophyta) in the Kordan and Hazarband Rivers in the Central Alborz, Northern Iran Keywords:

Diatoms , Kordan River , Hazarband River , Diversity , new reports