Centric diatoms of large rivers and tributaries in Hungary: morphology and biogeographic distribution

Abstract Centric diatoms of 107 different Hungarian running waters were investigated. Among them the largest was the River Danube, from which more than one hundred plankton samples were analysed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Only one sample was analysed from creeks, which were the smallest running waters analysed in this study. There were also channels with slow currents flowing out of rivers or connecting different rivers. In total, 41 centric taxa belonging to 11 genera were found during this study. The average number of taxa found in a single watercourse was 7, the maximum 40 and the minimum 1. Cyclotella meneghiniana was the most frequently encountered species (present in 60% of sites). Twelve taxa were found in more than 20% of sites, 7 taxa between 5-10% and 6 taxa only in one site.