Halamphora kolbei (Aleem) Álvarez-Blanco et S. Blanco 2014, A Rare Diatom from the Black Sea: Morphological Observations and Revised Description with Biochemical Composition

The species <i>Halamphora kolbei</i> is a rarely reported diatom, and information on its distribution and characteristics is limited. The original taxonomic description of this species is inaccurate and insufficient for identification, as the available literature contains scarce and scattered data. In the present study, we summarised the available data on this species and provided a detailed description of the strain isolated from Sevastopol Bay of the Black Sea. Findings from a phylogenetic analysis of two genes, 18S rRNA and <i>rbc</i>L, are presented. The process of isolation, identification and establishment of a monoculture of the <i>H. kolbei</i> is described in detail. In addition, the productivity and biochemical characteristics were evaluated to assess the biotechnological potential of the strain. The growth rate, biomass productivity and protein, carbohydrate, lipid and fatty acid composition of this species were determined in this study, under controlled conditions. The high content of C14-C16 acids in <i>H. kolbei</i> has been revealed to make it a promising source of eicosapentaenoic acid. The detailed description of the species, its photographs and phylogeny, as well as additional morphological keys presented in the paper, will enable scientists around the world to study this species as a promising biological resource.