DIATOMS ASSOCIATED TO MACROALGAE IN PERMANENT PLATES IN THE COLLECTION OF PROFESOR GERMÁN BULA MEYER, UNIVERSIDAD DEL MAGDALENA, COLOMBIA.

Abstract

Professor Germán Bula (1947-2002), a marine
biologist specialized in phycology, as part of its discipline collected macroalgae samples from different parts
of Colombia, especially from the Tayrona National Natural Park. He was interested in knowing the microalgae
associated to these samples. As a contribution to the knowledge of the biodiversity in Colombia, specific
determination of the taxa found in 61 permanent plates elaborated by Bula was made; these plates, labelled
as diatoms but unidentified, are stored in the Biological Collection Centre of the Universidad del Magdalena.
Likewise, during this study, 22 permanent plates were elaborated, based on the macroalgae material; this
material is contained in jars that also belong to the same collection. These plates were also reviewed. As
result 100 taxa were determinated: 91 at specific level and 9 at genus level; 39 taxa are new records for
the Colombian Caribbean and 9 are new records for the Caribbean. The taxonomic list is accompanied by
figures, references, measures, distribution in the Colombian Caribbean, and an approximation to its world
distribution. Besides, information of the auto-ecology of the species is provided. From the total taxa, 63
belong to the Class Bacillariophyceae, 19 to Coscinodiscophyceae, and 18 to Fragilariophyceae; 81 taxa
live especially in marine environments, 51 can live in brackish water, and 17 live especially in freshwater.
Of these, 36 taxa live only in marine environment and 4 only in fresh water. 36 taxa presented a combination
marine-brackish, 4 a combination freshwater-brackish, and 8 a combination marine-brackish-freshwater.