A new species of tropical diatoms has been discovered off the coast of the Krasnodar region

Scientists have discovered a tropical “guest” off the coast of the Krasnodar region. It turned out to be a new species of diatoms for the Azov and Black Seas, Cerataulina cf. dentata. As reported by Kuban News, previously in Russia it was found only in the coastal waters of the Sea of ​​Japan.

Unusual algae was found in the Temryuk port and the Novorossiysk region. In the Azov Sea they were found in plankton samples from autumn 2020 to winter 2022, and in the Black Sea the species was noticed from August to October 2021.

Cerataulina cf. dentata usually lives in tropical and subtropical waters of North and South America, Asia and Japan. The find turned out to be very unusual for Russian seas.

Scientists suggest that the algae could have entered the port waters along with the ballast water of commercial ships. Perhaps they were brought by ships arriving from the coastal regions of Asia or from the Far East.

Changing environmental conditions probably helped the new species gain a foothold in the Sea of ​​Azov. In recent years, the salinity of the water here has increased, which has created more suitable conditions for some marine organisms.

It is noted that the study was carried out by employees of the Southern Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences Olga Yasakova and the Novorossiysk Educational and Research Marine Biological Center of the Kuban State University Victoria Teyubova.