Epipyxis fenheensis sp. nov., a new species of the genus Epipyxis (Chrysophyceae)

By

Hao, Junxue
An, Yalu
Nan, Fangru
Lv, Junping
Liu, Qi
Liu, Xudong
Xie, Shu-Lian
Feng, Jia

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2025-7-28

Original Publication

PhytoKeys

Volume

260

Pages

115--138

Subjects

Epipyxis , Evolution , molecular phylogeny , Species diversity , taxonomy

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers [2010]-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.260.154552

 

Abstract

The genus Epipyxis, belonging to the family Dinobryaceae, has been documented to have only sporadic occurrences in freshwater habitats. However, the species diversity of this genus remains largely unexplored due to the scarcity of available molecular sequences. This limitation has significantly hindered a comprehensive understanding of both the species diversity and evolutionary relationships of the genus Epipyxis. In this study, a new species Epipyxis fenheensissp. nov. was described from Shanxi Province, China, based on detailed morphological observations and phylogenetic analyses. This species was characterized by a tube-like lorica, a spindle protoplast, two heterokont flagella, and oval or elliptic scales. In addition, phylogenetic analysis based on multi-genes (SSU, LSU, and rbcL) indicated that strain SX231009 was closely related to E. pulchra. Given its distinct morphological characteristics and independent phylogenetic position, we propose the designation of this strain as a new species, E. fenheensissp. nov. The results of this study significantly expand the known diversity of the genus Epipyxis and provide valuable insights into the regional biodiversity and evolutionary history of freshwater chrysophytes.