The species of Alveolophora (Aulacoseiraceae) in the Neogene diatom fl ora of Southern Primorsky Krai

An inventory of the fossil taxonomic composition of the extinct freshwater Alveolophora Moisseeva et Nevretdinova in the Neogene deposits of Southern Primorsky Krai has been carried out. The study of the valves using scanning electron microscopy signifi cantly changed the conclusions of previous researchers. Only two species were found in the studied deposit, A. khursevichiae Usoltseva, Pushkar et Likhacheva in the Middle Miocene and A. tscheremissinovae Khursevich in the Middle Miocene and Pliocene, instead of the four previously indicated. The descriptions of A. tscheremissinovae have been amended. It has been established that these taxa never occur together in fossil communities, which led to the conclusion about their diff erent ecological tolerance. The relatively narrow stratigraphic distribution of the taxa allows for using them as indicator species for the age of the deposits. That information can be used to update the diatom zonal scheme of the Neogene in Primorsky Krai.