New Genus and Species of Diatom Endemic in Lake Rani of Haryana, India

Abstract

Diatoms are unicellular plant algae which are found in almost all the waterbodies. Different diatoms respond differently to different environmental changes, there existence depending on the environmental factor of a particular place. A new diatom type was discovered in the lake Rani of Jind District of Haryana for the first time. Jind is an important district lying in the north of Haryana state located 75。53' and 76。47' East longitudes and between 29。03’ and 29。51’ North latitudes. It has a beautiful lake named as Rani Talab (Lake) which is famous for tourist visit and is located in the centre of the city. The pH of this water body ranges between 6.5 to 8.3, conductivity between 0.21 to 0.294 m?mho?cm-1 with temperature ranging between 19.5℃ to 35℃ for two consecutive years 2008-2009 and 2009 - 2010. The newly discovered diatom is the only diatom which inhabits one particular Lake Rani of Haryana, it is not found elsewhere in India and any other database of diatoms generated so far in any other part of the world. The new genus was discovered by Vinayak V. et al in the process of creation of diatom database from Haryana State of India for the first time. The new genus was named as Eunocymbellarania vandana for its genus name derived from Eunotia and Cymbella and its close affinity to these two diatoms and its origin place ‘Lake Rani’, but the species name ‘vandana ‘ is from Diatomist Vandana