A Contribution to the Taxonomy of Mastogloia (Class...

Philippine Journal of Science140 (1): 7-12, June 2011ISSN 0031 - 7683

Key Words: brown seaweed, Batangas, epiphytic diatoms, Mastogloia, partecta, Quezon, Sargassum

*Corresponding author: [email protected]

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Milagrosa R. Martinez-Goss1,* and Luisito T. Evangelista2

A Contribution to the Taxonomy of Mastogloia(Class Bacillariophyceae) in the Philippines

1Institute of Biological Sciences and Museum of Natural History,University of the Philippines Los Baños, College, Laguna

2Botany Division, National Museum, Manila

Nine species of Mastogloia found on the brown seaweeds, Sargassum spp., in two study areas in the Philippines (Lian, Batangas and Plaridel, Quezon) are described. Mastogloia smithii Thw. ex W. Sm. is added to the list of new record for the country.

INTRODUCTIONMastogloia Thw. ex Wm. Smith is a large, predominantly benthic marine genus in the division Bacillariophyta (Round et al. 1990). A distinctive characteristic of the group is the presence of a partectal ring, i.e., a modified girdle band, usually in the first girdle band or valvocopula that developed into a series of more or less spherical hollow or bulbous chambers or partecta (Paddock & Kemp 1988). These partecta are vividly noted in “cleaned” specimens of the inner valve face.

Mastogloia taxa were observed to produce extracellular structures whose shape, arrangement, and number are species-specific and related to the number of partecta (Hein et al. 1993). These secretions serve as a means of attachment for the diatom (Sivaci et al. 2008), in addition to facilitating the trapping and binding of carbonate grains for stromatolite growth (Hein et al. 1993; Awramik & Riding 1988) while enveloping the cells to form gelatinous, bubble-like colonies (Round et al. 1990).

Mastogloia is usually the most prominent and abundant epipelic or epiphytic diatom in a biofilm community (Gaston 2008; Sivaci et al. 2008), and inevitably

the preferred food of marine animals such as the foraminiferan Sorites dominicensis (Gaston 2008).

The group is principally marine, although there are occasionally freshwater and brackish water forms (Round et al. 1990; Patrick & Reimer 1966). Their history of marine habitat dates as far back as 8,500–7,500 years ago, when the ocean level rose, and the salinity of the Baltic Sea reached its extremely high values that noted the abundance of this diatom, in the genus Mastogloia, that got the transitional name for the sea as Mastogloia sea (Polish Geological Institute 2003).

Studies on Philippine marine diatoms are scanty. Ehrenberg (1854) was the first to record Philippine diatoms. Mann (1925) published his scientific account of 236 marine diatoms as part of the scientific collection of the U.S. Streamer Albatross. About 11% of these taxa belong to the genus Mastogloia. Podzorski & Hakansson (1987) also found that 11% of the total diatom taxa they documented from Palawan belonged to the genus Mastogloia. Over time, we got interested in documenting Mastogloia species not only because of their beauty but also due to the ease of differentiating them from the other marine diatoms because of their usual large size and prominent bulbous chambers or partectal ring, a modified girdle band. Since they

Martinez-Goss & Evangelista: A Contribution to the Taxonomy of Mastogloia in the Philippines

Philippine Journal of ScienceVol. 140 No. 1, June 2011

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were largely attached due their copious amounts of extracellular secretions (Sivaci et al. 2008), we hypothesized to find them on the fronds and thalli of the marine brown algae, Sargassum spp., that abound in our Philippine coastlines. However, during the course of our study we found a dearth of information about them, especially in the Philippines.

Hence, this simple taxonomic account. Though still limited,. we hope it is to the best interest of science to present these findings to serve as guide in identifying Mastogloia group. Included in the nine species is M. smithii Thw. ex. Wm. Smith, a new Philippine record.

MATERIALS AND METHODSSamples of the brown seaweed Sargassum were collected in two study sites, i.e., Batangas and Quezon, on August 14, 1999, October 24, 1999, and June 7, 2008. The study site in Batangas was in Matabungkay Beach in Lian, facing towards Verde Island Passage (13°57.83’N, 120°36.68’E), while the study area in Quezon was in Tumagay Beach in Plaridel, facing towards Lamon Bay (13°57’4’’N, 122°1’13’’E). At least ten “plantlets” of Sargassum spp. were collected from each site.

The diatoms found on Sargassum were dislodged manually by hand rubbing the thalli in a half-full bucket of sea water of about 4-5l. The sedimented diatoms were roughly divided into two lots, in which half was kept in a bottle in an ice chest and the other half was preserved in 3-4% buffered formalin solution in sea water.

An aliquot of the preserved sample was cleaned and prepared for permanent mounting following the methods of Patrick & Reimer (1966) and Paddock & Kemp (1988). Fresh samples, as well as preserved and cleaned diatom specimens were examined using an American Optical Series 10 Microstar compound microscope. Light micrographs were taken using a Nikon Optiphot-2 with an attached camera while electron micrographs were taken using scanning electron microscopes at the National Institutes of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (BIOTECH) at University of the Philippines Los Baños (Hitachi S-510) and at Taiwan Forestry Research Institute, Taipei, Taiwan (Hitachi S2400).

Dimensions or length x width (L x W) of the specimens were measured using a calibrated ocular eyepiece and are measured in micrometer (µm). Information about the literature used for identification is given below the name of the taxon in question. The photographs referred to are cited with the plate number first followed by a slash then the figure number.

RESULTS

ClassificationClassification of the genus follows that of Round et al. (1990) and worms (2009), as: Division: Bacillariophyta Class: Bacillariophyceae Subclass: Bacillariophycidae Order: Mastogloiales Family: Mastogloiaceae

The Species1. Dichotomous key for the species1a. Valves broadly elliptical ………..….….................. 21b. Valves not broadly elliptical …………................... 52a. Valves with apiculate apices …… . Mastogloia citrus 2b. Valves without apiculate apices ……..…................ 33a. Raphe robust with reflexed apices ..…..… M. splendida3b. Raphe more or less straight, not reflexed …………. 4 4a. Central area rectangular, with dash-like stigma at the center of half of the valve’s face ............................…….…. M. fimbriata4b. Central area rectangular, without dash-like stigma at the center ……....... M. horvathiana5a. Valves with narrow lyrate hyaline areas ….. M. indica5b. Valves without narrow lyrate hyaline areas ………. 66a. Valves with broad apiculate apices . M. pusilla var. subcapitata6b. Valves without broad apiculate apices ...……….… 77a. Apices more rounded .……………… M. mauritiana7b. Apices not rounded ......………………...………… 88a. Valves linear to lanceolate, 60-62 x 28 µm (L x W) …………..…........ M. angulata8b. Valves elliptical-lanceolate, 30-40 x 8-14 µm (L x W) ………………….. M. smithii

Species accountsMastogloia citrus Cl. Pl. I, Fig. 1

Foged, 1987, p. 57, 12/7; Podzorski and Hakansson, 1987, p. 67, 25/2-3.

Valves broadly elliptical with short pole or apiculate apices, 28-30 x 20 µm (L x W); striations punctated slightly radiating, striae near the central axial area some seemingly branching. This specimen has dimensions more closely similar to the specimen from Fiji Is. than that from Palawan, Philippines.

Specimen: LUZON, Batangas (Lian, Matabungkay Beach, found on Sargassum spp.; M-B)

Distribution: marine, tropical waters, Indonesia, China coast, Fiji, rare in Mediterranean waters.

Mastogloia splendida (Greg.) Cl. et Moller Pl. I, Fig. 2



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Podzorski and Hakansson, 1987, p. 69-70, 26/7. = Orthoneis splendida (Greg.) Grun. Grunow in Van Heurck, 1896, p. 284, 29/815.

Valves broadly elliptical, with obtuse-rounded apices, 52.4 x 36.4 µm (L x W); true raphe robust, with apices

reflexed on the same side, on one of the valves near the right margin, on the other near the left margin; striae, biseriate, slightly radiate, like coarse beads, 10-11 in 10 µm, with finer striations towards the margin of the valves.

Figure 1. Light micrograph (LM) of the valve view of Mastogloia citrus Cleve, x 1000. (Photo: LTE)Figure 2. Scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the valve view of M. splendida (Gregory) Cleve et Möller.

(Photo: MRMG)Figure 3. a. SEM of the valve view of M. fimbriata (Brightwell) Cleve; b. Central area showing dash-like stigma

at the central area; c. Inner valve face showing scalloped partecta along the valve’s margin.Figure 4. a. SEM of the valve view of M. horvarthiana Grunow; b. Central area rectangular but without dash-

like stigma at the center.Figure 5. a. SEM of the valve view of M. indica Meister showing the narrow lyrate hyaline areas, (Photo: MRMG); b. Girdle view, (Photo: MRMG)

Plate I



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This specimen is slightly larger than that of the specimen from Palawan (48.7 x 30.7 µm, L x W) but has the same density of striations. However, it is much smaller than the specimen described in Van Heurck (1896), which measures 60-80 x 50-60 µm (L x W) and striae are 6 in 10 µm.

Specimen: LUZON, Quezon, Plaridel (Tumagay Beach, found on Sargassum spp., MQ)

Distribution: marine, widespread.

Mastogloia fimbriata (Brightw.) Cl. Pl. I, Fig. 3 a, b, c

Foged, 1987, p. 59, 10/7; Podzorski and Hakansson 1987, p. 69, 26/2-3.

Valves elongate-elliptical, 35-37 x 24-26 µm (L x W); striae biseriate, 7 in 10 µm; central area rectangular, with dash-like stigma at the center of the half of the valve’s face; partecta scalloped form along the inner valve’s margin (↓, Fig. 3c), usually 4-5 scallops in each margin.

This specimen has similar dimensions to that found in Palawan but it is much smaller than the specimen found in Fiji Is.


Distribution: marine, widespread in warm coastal waters, Tahiti, Fiji Is.

Mastogloia hovarthiana Grun. Pl. I, Fig. 4 a, b

Podzorski and Hakansson, 1987, p. 69, 27/1.

Valves subelliptical, 40-44 x 22-28 µm (L x W); true raphe straight; central area rectangular, without dash-like stigma at the center; striae biseriate, straight, punctated, coarser towards near the central axial area and becoming of two rows of punctae towards the margin; punctae 7 in 10 µm; striae 14 µm in 10 µm.


Distribution: widespread, though uncommon, in warm coastal waters.

Mastogloia indica Meister Pl. I, Fig. 5 a, b

Podzorski and Hakansson, 1987, p. 74, 29/8, 52/5.

Valves wide-lanceolate, 14.7-20 µm x 4-6.25 µm (L x W), with narrow lyrate hyaline areas not extending to the apices; raphe undulate, thread-like with simple curved terminals; central area with a wide transverse area; striae punctated, parallel to slightly radiate towards the apices, equally spaced, becoming more bacilliform (rod-shaped towards the margin, 20-26 striae in 10 µm; girdle

consisting of open bands, about 6.25 µm thick.

This specimen has smaller dimensions than the specimen found in Palawan, but it has about similar density of striae (33.3 x 12µm, L x W; striae 20 in 10 µm).

Specimen: LUZON, Quezon, Plaridel (Tumagay Beach, found on Sargassum spp., M-Q)

Distribution: marine.

Mastogloia pusilla Grun. var. subcapitata Hust. Pl. II, Fig. 1

Foged, 1987, p. 62, 13/6; Podzorski and Hakansson, 1987, p. 71, 27/9-10.

Valves broad linear-lanceolate with broad apiculate apices, 14-16 x 5.5-7 µm (L x W); striae transverse, uniseriate 26-28 in 10 µm; girdle, 3.5 µm wide.

Similar to the specimen observed in Palawan, Philippines and Fiji Is.


Distribution: cosmopolitan, Borneo, Tahiti, Fiji Is.

Mastogloia mauritiana Brun. Pl. II, Fig. 2

Podzorski and Hakansson, 1987, p. 70-71, 27/11-12.

Valves linear-elliptical, 20-28 x 8-10 µm (L x W); uniseriate valves, 24 striae in 10 µm; partecta or bulbous inner chambers undulating but not observed extending up the apices and absent along the central region, two bulbous chambers along the margins of each valve.

This specimen has similar dimensions as that one observed in Palawan, except that the latter has partecta or bulbous chambers that are found entirely along each margin, although they are narrower towards the central region, but similar to our specimen because the partecta do not extend up to the apices.

Specimen: LUZON, Batangas (Lian, Matabungkay Beach, found on Sargassum spp., M-B)

Quezon, Plaridel (Tumagay Beach, found on Sargassum spp., M-Q)

Distribution: marine, cosmopolitan.

Mastogloia angulata Lewis Pl. II, Fig. 3 a, b

Foged, 1987, p. 56, x1/4-6; Podzorski and Hakansson, 1987, p. 70, 27/2-3, 6.

Valves linear to lanceolate with slightly apiculate apices, 60-62 µm x 28 µm (L x W); valve’s margins thickened, striae biseriate, i.e., broader near the axial area and becoming finer



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towards the margin, 8-10 striae in 10 µm; girdle consists of open bands, with the first band (valvocopula) bears one to many large chambers (partecta) which open externally via apertures close to the valve margin (Fig. 3b).

This specimen has similar dimensions to the specimen observed in Palawan except for the density of striae (11-14 in 10 µm).

Figure 1. SEM of the valve view of M. pusilla Grunow var. subcapitata Hustedt.Figure 2. LM of the inner valve face of M. mauritiana Brun showing the partecta. (Photo: LTE)Figure 3. a. SEM of the valve view of M. angulata Lewis; b. Apex slightly apiculate and

apertures ↓ or opening along the margin.Figure 4. LM of the inner valve face of M. smithii Thwaites ex Wm. Smith showing the loculate chambers (partecta) (Photo: LTE).

Plate II



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Distribution: marine, cosmopolitan.

Mastogloia smithii Thw. ex W. Sm. Pl. II, Fig. 4

Van Heurck, 1896, p. 154, 2/60; Greville, 1863, pp.235-236; Smith, 1856, p.63.

Valves elliptical-lanceolate, apices slightly produced, 30-40 x 8-14 µm (L x W); each valve bears two sets of internal bulbous compartments (partecta or loculate chambers), with seven loculate chambers in each margin, striae robust, distinctly punctate, radiating up to the margin of the valves, 15-17 in 10 µm.

This is very similar to the description of Van Heurck’s specimen, including the number of locular chambers along the margins of each valve. This is a new record for the Philippines.

This species was observed in fresh waters (UK), karstic lakes and brackish water (NL) (Smith 1856; Sivaci et al. 2008). It showed preference for alkaline waters with high amount of calcium and very sensitive to pollution.

Specimen: LUZON, Batangas (Lian, Matabungkay Beach, found on Sargassum spp., M-B)

Quezon, Plaridel (Tumagay Beach, found on Sargassum spp., M-Q)

Distribution: Fresh, brackish, and marine waters; Belgium, England, Ireland.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTThe authors wish to acknowledge the use of the scanning electron microscope in Taiwan Forestry Research Institute, Taiwan, courtesy of Dr. Wan Liang Chiou; and the carrying out of the literature survey by Pristine Kae Beatriz and Eldrin Arguelles.

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