Abstract
In this paper we designate a lectotype and an epitype for the diatom species Synedra familiaris Kütz., an important species in ecological studies of freshwater attached algal communities. For this purpose, we have used a slide in Ktitzing's collection housed in the Natural History Museum, London (BM). The original slide from the type locality, was not found in the museum collection, and only one slide (BM18307) was present from another locality. No individual specimen could be identified as S. familiaris given its current concept. Three other possible taxa were described before S. familiaris. So the name S. familiaris should not be used with the current concept. We have also designated a lectotype for S. familiaris f. parva Grunow using an individual specimen from the holotype slide in the Natural History Museum, Vienna. This taxon no longer conforms to the current usage of the taxon S. familiaris, and so we propose a new combination Fragilaria parva (Grunow) Tuji et D. M. Williams comb. et stat. nov.
