Papposphaera heldalii sp. nov. (Haptophyta, Papposphaeraceae) from Svalbard

Abstract

In an attempt to establish a taxonomy for the polar contingent of lightly calcified coccolithophores, we are currently dealing with species of Papposphaera. Here we describe a new species, Papposphaera heldalii sp. nov., based on material from Svalbard. The species is unique in terms of calyx design, which is an elegant modification of the standard P. sagittifera theme, and also in terms of the absence of central area calcification in body coccoliths. The species thus occupies a further step in a sequence of five Arctic forms ranging from P. sagittifera via P. sarion, P. arctica and P. iugifera to P. heldalii showing a gradual reduction of central area calcification in body coccoliths. P. heldalii is unique also in the sense that the species has not been found during any of the major Arctic TEM nanoplankton surveys conducted during the last decades.