Diatom genus Hyalosira (Rhabdonematales emend.) and resolution of its Polyphyly in Grammatophoraceae and Rhabdonemataceae with a new genus, Placosira, and five new Hyalosira species

Hyalosira gene sequences are divided into two clades within different families. We examined authentic material of Hyalosira (isotype material of H. obtusangula, synonymous with H. delicatula) and voucher specimens of published sequences, and pooled our observations of Hyalosira-like taxa from benthic and epizoic habitats in several parts of the globe. The two molecular clades corresponded to two morphological groups, with Hyalosira obtusangula associated with Grammatophoraceae. We emend the description and provide lectotypification for Hyalosira and propose Placosira to encompass the taxa in the other clade, associated with Rhabdonemataceae. We propose that Hyalosira has uniseriate to triseriate striae, sometimes different on valve face and mantle. Copulae in most species had shallow septa, though in one they were moderately deep. All species had girdle bands bearing two rows of areolae separated by a midrib. We name five new species of Hyalosira. Morphologies of taxa in the Placosira clade were superficially similar to Hyalosira but differed in having areolae with ricae, a single row of areolae on the girdle bands, and tubular rimoportulae on the valve-face-mantle junction. Hyalosira hustedtiana Patrick should revert to its original position in Striatella until the appropriate genus can be determined. We emend Rhabdonematales to encompass Rhabdonemataceae, Grammatophoraceae and Tabellariaceae.