New stomatocysts discovered in Sphagnum peatlands, central China

Chrysophyte stomatocysts have been studied widely in temperate and arctic regions, while they are rarely investigated in tropical and subtropical areas. The subtropical mountainous region in central China is one of the Global 200 conservation priority ecoregions, due to its high biodiversity. There are some patches of pristine peatlands developed in lowlands of this region, while little knowledge is available on algal distribution in this high biodiversity region. Twenty-four stomatocysts were identified and described in this paper following International Statospore Working Group (ISWG) guidelines and illustrated by SEM micrographs, with eighteen previously described stomatocysts and six new stomatocysts. This is the first comprehensive investigation of stomatocysts in subtropical montane peatlands in central China, which can improve our knowledge on the richness and distribution of stomatocysts in the subtropical region.

New Chrysophycean cyst morphotypes and their ecology in Finland

Despite multiple studies on chrysophyte stomatocysts globally, detailed surveys of these resting stages have remained scarce in Northern Europe. This is the first description of new chrysophyte cyst morphotypes in concordance with the International Statospore Working Group guidelines, based on scanning electron microscope images from lake sediment material in Finland. A nationwide chrysophyte cyst survey revealed 18 new cyst morphotypes with different surface ornamentation types. Environmental background information on the locations and the quantitatively calculated optimums and tolerances for electric conductivity, pH, total phosphorus and ice-free period are also provided.

Chrysophycean stomatocysts from freshwater habitats of the Strømness Bay area, South Georgia, Antarctica

The chrysophycean stomatocyst flora of freshwater samples from the Strømness Bay area, located in the northern part of the Sub-Antarctic Island of South Georgia, was investigated, using scanning electron microscopy. A total of 59 stomatocyst morphotypes were recorded. Thirty-one of them were previously observed and 28 are described as new, following guidelines of the International Statospore Working Group. Since this is only the second study of chrysophyte cysts from South Georgia, this large number of new morphotypes is not surprising. The cyst flora show only a small resemblance to the stomatocyst flora found on mosses of the same area.Key words: chrysophyte stomatocysts, South Georgia, Sub-Antarctica.