Pseudo-nitzschia nanaoensis sp. nov. (Bacillariophyceae) from the Chinese coast of the South China Sea

Pseudo-nitzschia nanaoensis sp. nov. is described from waters around Nan'ao Island (South China Sea), using morphological data and molecular evidence. This species is morphologically most similar to P. brasiliana, but differs by a denser arrangement of fibulae, interstriae, and poroids, as well as by the structure of the valvocopula and the narrow second band. Pseudo-nitzschia nanaoensis constitutes a monophyletic lineage and is well differentiated from other species on the LSU and ITS2 sequence-structure trees. Pseudo-nitzschia nanaoensis makes up the basal node on the LSU tree, and forms a sister clade with a group of P. pungens and P. multiseries on the ITS2 tree. The ability of cultured strains to produce domoic acid was assessed, including its possible induction by the presence of a copepod and brine shrimp, by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. However, no strains showed detectable domoic acid.