Diatom biodiversity in Mongolia: A new amphoroid diatom from saline lakes in western Mongolia, Amphora soninkhishigae sp. nov.

A new Amphora species, Amphora soninkhishigae sp. nov. is described from the saline lakes, Oigon Nuur and Uvs Nuur, in western Mongolia. Amphora soninkhishigae is characterized by its small size (valves 12–28 mm long, 2.9–3.8 mm wide), fine ornamentation, and a broad, internally thickened central area on the dorsal side of the valve (dorsal stauros) that branches along the dorsal margin. Among the amphoroid diatoms, Amphora soninkhishigae belongs in the subgenus Oxyamphora Cleve, where it is allied with other small Amphora taxa bearing a dorsal stauros including Amphora staurophora Juhlin- -Dannfelt, Amphora abludans Simonsen, Amphora laevissima var. perminuta Grunow, and Amphora laevis var. minuta Cleve.