Nupelaceae Tseplik, Glushchenko, Genkal, Maltsev & Kulikovskiy, 2025

TSEPLIK, NATALIA, GLUSHCHENKO, ANTON, MALTSEV, YEVHEN, GENKAL, SERGEY, NERGUI, SONINKHISHIG & KULIKOVSKIY, MAXIM, 2025, Molecular investigation of Nupela mongolica sp. nov. (Bacillariophyceae) with the description of the family Nupelaceae fam. nov., Phytotaxa 681 (2), pp. 186-198 : 188

Nupelaceae Tseplik, Glushchenko, Genkal, Maltsev & Kulikovskiy fam. nov.

Subordinate taxa: Nupela Vyverman & Compère

Description. Cells solitary. Valves slightly transapically curved, narrow, lanceolate to elliptical with rounded to strongly capitate ends. Valves may be biraphid with a fully developed raphe system, biraphid with shortened raphe branches or monoraphid. Raphe mostly straight, the external slit may be slightly undulate. External central raphe ends simple, straight, terminal raphe fissures sharply curved or double hooked to one side or ending on the valve face; internal central raphe ends T-shaped or simple, straight, internal distal raphe ends straight and terminate in helictoglossae. Areolae rounded to elliptical, crater-like, with large external and small internal openings, arranged in striae of variable length and covered externally with hymenes that fully cover the areolae with a continuous layer and extend onto the valve face itself.