Epiphytic diatoms of Enhalus acoroides Royle

Abstract

In the study of the distribution of epiphytic diatoms on the leaves of the seagrass Enhalus acoroides (L.f.) Royle from the Sungai Pulai estuary, Johor, Peninsular Malaysia, the average density of diatoms on the seagrass blades was found to be 1147 cells cm-2 and 30 species. The 30 species represent 10 genera and they belong to 9 families. The diatom flora was composed mainly of Amphora angusta, Cocconeis placentula, Navicula gracilis, Nitzschia palea and Nitzschia sigma. The highest density of diatoms was found in the middle region of the leaves whereas the apical and basal regions supported only a a low density of diatoms.