Protoperidinium sphaericum (G. Murr. et Whitting) Balech (The History of Study, Morphology and Synonymy)

摘要

This paper reveals the morphological study of Protoperidinium sphaericum, a rare species of marine dinoflagellates {Dinoftagellata, Dinophytd) found in the plankton of the Persian Gulf near the island of Ormuz (territorial waters of Iran). The study proved the morphological identity of P. spaericum, P. hamatum Balech 1979, found earlier in the Persian Gulf, and P. sphaeroides (Dangeard) Balech 1974 known only from the Mediterranean Sea. After analyzing the literature and original data, and in accordance with the principle of priority, P. hamatum and P. sphaeroides are considered synonymous with P. sphaericum. The range of P. sphaericum includes Mediterranean, Adriatic and Caribbean Seas, Mexican, Persian and Oman Gulfs, Southwest Atlantic, and the coastal waters of west Africa and Japan.