Puncticulata

CLASS: Coscinodiscophyceae
  ORDER: Thalassiosirales
    FAMILY:

1. Central area flat or concentrically undulate
2. Valve face divided into two parts, each with distinct morphology

NOTE THE THE GENUS PUNCTICULATA, ALTHOUGH VALIDLY PUBLISHED, IS NOT LEGITIMATE (see below).

The valve face is circular or oval. The central area is variable: with both areolae and fultoportulae, or areolae only, or fultoportulae only. Central area fultoportulae, when present, possess three satellite pores. One or more rimoportulae are present on the valve face, at end of a shortened stria, or shortened striae.

Puncticulata is a relatively new genus (Håkansson 2002) erected to recognize the bodanica-comta-radiosa-antiqua-austriaca group. Although the group circumscribed by Puncticulata deserves recognition, the genus is not legitimate as published (ICBN, Art. 52.1). Håkansson included the species Handmannia austriaca Peragallo in Handmann as a member of Puncticulata. Handmannia austriaca, however, is the type of the genus Handmannia Peragallo in Handmann 1913. As such, there is an earlier and available name for Puncticulata, i.e. Handmannia, and all names published under Puncticulata are currently not legitimate.

Cite This Page:
Spaulding, S., and Edlund, M. (2009). Puncticulata. In Diatoms of the United States. Retrieved May 24, 2013, from http://westerndiatoms.colorado.edu/taxa/genus/Puncticulata

Contributor: Sarah Spaulding | Mark Edlund - January 2009

Reviewer: Sam Rushforth