This study presents the first taxonomic inventory of the order Zygnematales in the Litoral Norte Environmentally Protected Area, in the state of Bahia, Brazil. Fifty samples of planktonic and periphytic material were collected, from lotic and lentic environments, during the summer (January-March) and winter (June-August) of 2009. We identified 18 taxa distributed among five genera (Cylindrocystis, Mougeotia, Netrium, Spirogyra, and Spirotaenia). Of those 18 taxa, eight were new additions to the Brazilian desmid flora: Mougeotia calcarea; Mougeotia elegantula; Spirogyra gracilis; Cylindrocystis crassa var. elliptica; Cylindrocystis brebissonii var. minor; Cylindrocystis brebissonii var. turgida; Netrium digitus var. parvum; and Netrium oblongum var. oblongum. The geographical distributions of ten taxa were extended to include northeastern Brazil.
Brazil; continental microalgae; desmids; Streptophyta; taxonomy
