Caribbean Journal of Science, Vol. 46, No.

1, 120-123, 2010 Copyright 2010 College of Arts and Sciences University of Puerto Rico, Mayagez

Silica-scaled chrysophytes and heliozoa from the Caribbean Island of Dominica (Lesser Antilles)
Daniel E. Wujek, Brittaney A. Fritz and Ryan M. Dziedzic
Department of Biology, Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859 Corresponding author: wujek1de@cmich.edu ABSTRACT.Phytoplankton samples from five freshwater lakes and ponds on the island of Dominica were examined for silica-scaled chrysophytes and heliozoa using transmission electron microscopy. Three species of Synurophyceae were observed: Synura echinulata, S. petersenii and Mallomonas tonsurata; two species of Chrysophyceae: Paraphysomonas vestita and Spiniferomonas trioralis; and five species of heliozoa: Acanthocystis nichollsi, Raineriophrys erinaceoides, Raphidiophrys intermedia, Raphidocystis tubifera and Polyplacocystis marginata. The species composition was not indicative of a tropical environment, but included taxa found worldwide. All are new records for Dominica. KEYWORDS.Chrysophyceae, Synurophyceae, heliozoa, tropics, species composition

The freshwater algal flora of the Caribbean Island of Dominica is relatively unknown. There have been a few marine algal studies (Bucher and Norris, 1995; Steiner, 2003; Steiner and Williams, 2006). The only freshwater phytoplankton studies are by Hart and Hart (1969) and Hegewald et al. (2001). Vis et al. (1992) studied the attached freshwater red alga Batrachospermum. The most extensive study of freshwater algae of the region is from the nearby island of Guadeloupe (Bourrelly and Manguin, 1952). No study reporting heliozoa (planktonic, phagotrophic amoeboid protozoa) in this region has been published. Plankton net (20 m) samples from Dominica were taken during February 8-11, 2007 period (Table 1). They were from five different ponds and lakes (Table 1) with each site specifically located using a global positioning system (Magellan Trailblazer). Samples were fixed in 2% acid Lugols solution. Physicochemical parameters (Table 1) measured in the field at the time of sampling were water temperature, pH and conductivity (Oakton WD-60). Time of sampling varied during daylight hours. Sample preparations for transmission electron microscopy and data analysis follow Wujek (2000). The heliozoan classification used is according to Mikrjukov (2002).

Ten taxa representing five silica-scaled chrysophytes and five heliozoans were observed (Table 2). Silica-scaled chrysophytes include: Synurophyceae- one Mallomonas taxon (Fig 1), two Synura taxa (Figs 2-3); Chrysophyceae- one taxon each of Paraphysomonas and Spiniferomonas (Figs 4-5). Heliozoa included both centrohelids: Acanthocystis nichollsi, Raineriophrys erinaceoides, Raphidiophrys intermedia, Raphidocystis tubifera and the cristidiscoid Polyplacocystis marginata (Figs 6-10). Bee House Pond had the greatest diversity: three chrysophyte and three heliozoan species. The Grand Marigot Bay cattle pond had the lowest diversity: one heliozoan species (Table 2). The chrysophyte flora, while sparse, is represented by species that have a worldwide distribution, both temperate and tropical, and are not necessarily unique to the tropics (Cronberg, 1989; Hansen, 1996; Kristiansen, 2002). The heliozoans observed also have a cosmopolitan distribution (Siemensma, 1991; Mikrjukov, 2002). Raphidocystis tubiferas was the most widely observed heliozoan in this study, being found in two samples (Table 2). Also included in our observations was the first heliozoan characterized using electron microscopy, Raineriophrys

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NOTES Table 1. Dominica collecting sites, February 8-11, 2007. Sample/name 8 February 1. Bee House Pond, Springfield Guest House 10 February 2. Freshwater Lake 3. Boeri Lake. 11 February 4. Grand Marigot Bay cattle pond 5. Cattle pond, 0.2 km south of sample # 4 GPS Coordinates 15 20 28.42 N, 61 18 31.60 W pH 6.9 Temp. (C) 26

121

Conductance (S.m-1) 200

15 20 50.42 N, 61 22 04.03 W 15 25 0.00 N, 61 19 58.80 W 15 25 1.20 N, 61 16 1.20 W 15 25 1.20 N, 61 14 1.20 W

6.9 6.9 6.9 6.9

24.5 22.2 28.9 6.9

120 200 200 350

Table 2. Scaled chrysophytes and heliozoa observed in the Dominican collections. See Table 1 for locations. Taxon Chrysophyceae Paraphysomonas vestita (Stokes) de Saedeleer Spiniferomonas trioralis Takahashi Synurophyceae Mallomonas tonsurata Teiling emend. Krieger Synura echinulata Korshikov S. petersenii Korshikov Heliozoa Centrohelidia Acanthocystis nichollsi Siemensma & Roijackers Raineriophrys erinaceoides (Petersen & Hansen) Mikrjukov Raphidiophrys intermedia Penard Raphidocystis tubifera Penard Cristidiscoidida Polyplacocystis marginata (Siemensma) Mikrjukov Location 1, 5 5 1, 2 4 1, 4, 5

1 3 1 1, 2 2

erinaceoides (Petersen & Hansen) Mikrjukov, a species whose original description was as an Acanthocystis taxon from Denmark (Petersen & Hansen, 1960). Polyplacocystis marginata, as Raphidiophrys marginata, was reported from Canada, Chile, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka, The Netherlands, United States and most recently from Africa (Wujek and Ogundipe, 2002). We observed it in only one Dominican sample (Table 2; Fig. 8). Aside from the Dominicas two crater lakes, Freshwater Lake and Boeri Lake, both of which were formed from collapsed volcano cones and are now used for hydroelectric generation, the topology of the

island does not lend itself to forming standing bodies of water. There are more than 300 rivers and streams on the island, habitats not favorable for the development of silicascaled populations. The number of recorded species in any one sample varied from one to six. The composition of the Dominican chrysophyte flora shows a similarity to the flora of its nearest neighbors which have been investigated (Mexico: Kristiansen and Tong, 1995; Belize: Carty and Wujek, 2003); however the taxa we report are much fewer in number. It is impossible from this short list to make phytogeographic considerations about the Dominican chrysophyte flora, let alone that of the Lesser Antilles in general. Freshwater environments in Dominica include more than 300 streams and rivers, but few lakes and ponds. More investigations are needed, especially from different seasons and the other surrounding islands. As Hansen (1966) has stated, many unresolved questions remain regarding biogeography and ecology of the silicascaled Chrysophyceae and Synurophyceae in the tropics. This was recently empha sized by Neustupa and Rezc ov (2007) who pointed out the importance of floristic studies in freshwater tropical localities to truly understand the real biogeographic patterns of these organisms. Hansens and Neustupa and Rezc ovs statements certainly hold true for heliozoans as well. Acknowledgments.D.E.W. thanks Drs. Roger Bland and Herbert Lenon for field assistance, Dr. Nancy Osler of Springfield Guest House for providing accommodations

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NOTES

Fig. 1. Scales from Mallomonas tonsurata, dome scale with attached bristle and a domeless scale. Figs. 2-3. Scales from Synura. 2. S. echinulata. 3. S. petersenii. Fig. 4. Scales from Paraphysomonas vestita. Fig. 5. Spine scale from Spiniferomonas trioralis. Fig. 6. Plate and spine scales from Acanthocystis nichollsi. Fig. 7. Scale from Raineriophrys erinaceoides. Fig. 8. Scale from Raphidiophrys intermedia. Fig. 9. Scales from Raphidocystis tubifera. Fig. 10. Scale from Polyplacocystis marginata. Scale bar = 1 m.

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and transportation, Dr. John Hains for several GPS coordinates, and Brian Roberts for assisting in the preparation of the plate. Literature Cited
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