Mediocremonas mediterraneus, a New Member within the Developea

Abstract

The Stramenopiles are a large and diverse group of eukaryotes that possess various lifestyles required to thrive in a broad array of environments. The stramenopiles branch with the alveolates, rhizarians, and telonemids, forming the supergroup TSAR. Here, we present a new genus and species of aquatic nanoflagellated stramenopile: Mediocremonas mediterraneus, a free‐swimming heterotrophic predator. M. mediterraneus cell bodies measure between 2.0‐4.0 μm in length and 1.2‐3.7 μm in width, possessing two flagella and an oval body morphology. The growth and grazing rate of M. mediterraneus in batch cultures ranges from 0.68 to 1.83 d‐1 and 1.99 to 5.38 bacteria h‐1, respectively. M. mediterraneus was found to be 93.9% phylogenetically similar with Developayella elegans and 94.7% with Develorapax marinus, two members within the class Developea. The phylogenetic position of the Developea and the ability of M. mediterraneus to remain in culture makes it a good candidate for further genomic studies that could help us to better understand phagotropy in marine systems as well as the transition from heterotrophy to phototrophy within the stramenopiles.