Diversity and phylogeny of percolomonads based on newly discovered species from hypersaline and marine waters

Percolomonads are common freshwater, marine and hypersaline tetraflagellated organisms. Current phylogenetic analyses of eukaryotes comprise only two species of this underinvestigated family. Here, we studied the morphology, salinity tolerance and 18S rDNA gene-based phylogeny of seven percolomonad cultures. We describe three new genera and five novel species of Percolomonadida based on phylogenetic distances and morphological characteristics: Barbelia atlantica, B. abyssalis, Lula jakobsenorum, Nakurumonas serrata and Percolomonas doradorae.