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Analyses of the mitochondrial cox1, the nuclear‐encoded large subunit (LSU), and the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) RNA coding region of Pseudo‐nitzschia revealed that the P. pseudodelicatissima complex can be phylogenetically grouped into three distinct clades (Groups I–III), while the P. delicatissima complex forms another distinct clade (Group IV) in both the LSU and ITS2 phylogenetic trees. It was elucidated that comprehensive taxon sampling (sampling of sequences), selection of appropriate target genes and outgroup, and alignment strategies influenced the phylogenetic accuracy. Based on the genetic divergence, ITS2 resulted in the most resolved trees, followed by cox1 and LSU. The morphological characters available for Pseudo‐nitzschia, although limited in number, were overall in agreement with the phylogenies when mapped onto the ITS2 tree. Information on the presence/absence of a central nodule, number of rows of poroids in each stria, and of sectors dividing the poroids mapped onto the ITS2 tree revealed the evolution of the recently diverged species. The morphologically based species complexes showed evolutionary relevance in agreement with molecular phylogeny inferred from ITS2 sequence–structure data. The data set of the hypervariable region of ITS2 improved the phylogenetic inference compared to the cox1 and LSU data sets. The taxonomic status of P. cuspidata and P. pseudodelicatissima requires further elucidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field sampling was undertaken to investigate the occurrence of Pseudo-nitzschia Peragallo species in eight locations along the coast of Malaysian Borneo. A total of 108 strains of Pseudo-nitzschia species were isolated, and their morphology examined with SEM and TEM. Additionally, molecular data from nuclear-encoded partial LSU r DNA, and ITS regions, were characterized. A total of five species were confidently identified based on a combination of distinct morphological characteristics and supporting molecular evidence: P. brasiliana Lundholm, Hasle & Fryxell, P. cuspidata ( Hasle) Hasle, P. dolorosa Lundholm & Moestrup, P. micropora Priisholm, Moestrup & Lundholm, and P. pungens ( Grunow) Hasle var. pungens. However, one morphotype from Sarawak, while somewhat similar to P. caciantha, showed significant morphological distinction from this and any other of the currently described species. Most notably this morphotype possessed a characteristic pore arrangement in the poroids, with the fine pores in each perforation sector arranged in circles. Pair-wise sequence comparison of the LSU r DNA between this unidentified morphotype and P. caciantha Lundholm, Moestrup & Hasle, revealed 2.7% genetic divergence. Phylogenetic analyses strongly supported the monophyly of the morphotype. Based upon these supporting data it is here described as a new species, Pseudo-nitzschia circumpora sp. nov. A key to the six species of Pseudo-nitzschia from Malaysian Borneo is presented. Molecular signatures for all species were established based on structural comparisons of ITS2 r RNA transcripts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]