Heterotrophic flagellates from coral reef sediments (Great Barrier Reef, Australia)

Heterotrophic flagellates were identified from the littoral sediments of One Tree Island (Great Barrier Reef, Australia) by light microscopy. A total of 37 species are described of which 3 are new to science. The new species are: Peranema macrostoma, Ploeotia plumosa, and Anehmia exotica, the latter also representing a new genus. One species previously described as Percolomonas membranifera was assigned to a new genus Carpediemonas. The similarities of the species composition from One Tree Island and other locations world-wide were compared using the program PRIMER. The community from One Tree Island shows considerable overlap from other marine benthic sites world-wide. Communities from littoral benthic sites form a cluster separate from pelagic communities - although there is considerable overlap in the species of smaller heterotrophic and/or bacterivorous flagellates. Most species from the benthic community of heterotrophic flagellates appear to have a world-wide distribution, and there is little evidence of endemism.