New Eunotia taxa in core samples from Lake Panch Pokhari in the Nepalese Himalaya

During a survey of the diatom flora from a sediment core from Lake Panch Pokhari in the Nepalese Himalaya, four new Eunotia species were recorded and described: E. igorii Krstic, Levkov & Pavlov, E. zechii Krstic, Levkov & Pavlov, E. panchpokhariensis Krstic, Levkov & Pavlov and E. paramuscicola Krstic, Levkov & Pavlov. Detailed morphological descriptions of the taxa are given based on both light and scanning electron microscopy. The morphological features of each taxon were compared with similar taxa. Eunotia igorii is similar to South American, neotropical species which are larger in size and have more coarsely striated valves. Furthermore, an additional distinctive feature of E. igorii is the presence of prominent spines throughout the length of the valve margins. Eunotia zechii has three weak undulations on the dorsal valve margin, in contrast to the similar taxa E. fennica (Hustedt) Lange-Bertalot and E. neoborealis Lange-Bertalot. Eunotia panchpokhariensis has quite narrow and strongly curved valves...