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Quick Guide to Common Diatom Genera in Freshwaters

By Cathy Kilroy
YES YES Centric diatoms
Very noticeable patterns in girdle and valve views

Part A
Aulacoseira

NO

Cells typically in filaments

Melosira Cyclotella

YES YES NO
Different pattern in the middle and edge of valve

NO
Valves circular, raphe or axial area never present

Similar or continuous pattern from edge of valve to center

Cyclostephanos Tabellaria

YES

YES Araphid diatoms


Septa present (internal projections from the girdle band)

Meridion

YES

NO

Valves asymmetrical transversely

NO YES
Costae present (internal projections on the valve face

NO YES

Diatoma Asterionella
YES

Pennate diatoms

Valves elongated, elliptical or swollen bilaterally. No raphe on either valve

NO

Valves asymmetrical transversely (lengthwise)

YES YES

Striae continuous across valve face (or axial area v. narrow)

Fragilariforma (part) Fragilaria Staurosirella Fragilariforma (part) Synedra

Valves linear or oval

NO YES
Striae very thick

NO on at least one
valve

Raphe present

NO

NO
Cells often form chains (most noticeable in live samples) Centrally expanded

CONTINUED in Part B

NO

NO

Part B
YES
CONTINUED Monoraphid diatoms

Cocconeis

YES

Usually a thick rim on the raphe valve

Genera related to NO YES


An empty depression to one side on the rapheless valve

YES Round-oval with


different patterns on the two valves

Achnanthidium Planothidium

NO

YES
Narrow axial area on the raphless valve often to one side Small narrow cells, striae denser towards the poles than at the centre

Achnanthes

Raphe present on one valve only

NO

YES

Achnanthidium

NO

NO NO

Striae evenly spaced

Rossithidium

YES YES YES


Raphes visible as long or short lines (slits) on the valve surface of both valves Raphes short on both valves, to one side (sometimes barely visible in valve view) Valve heteropolar (the two ends markedly different widths)

Actinella

NO
Raphes markedly different lengths on the two valves. Curved in girdle view. Septa at valve poles.

Eunotia
Valve shape and size very variable

Biraphid diatoms

NO

Raphes visible in girdle view

YES

NO

Rhoicosphenia
Raphes barely visible

NO CONTINUED in part C CONTINUED in part D

Part C
Biraphid diatoms CONTINUED

YES

Stenopterobia

YES YES
Gap in costae at the valve centre. Raphe marginal

Valves narrow, linear, may be sigmoid

NO

Valves wide, more robust, variable sizes

Surirella

YES
Raphe slits not obvious (though a thick raphe canal may be visible)

Epithemia

Costae present (internal projections from the valve face, appearing as dark lines)

NO

Raphe canal visble on valve face, sometimes only at the centre

NO
Raphe marginal, or nearly marginal, in a canal enclosed by struts (fibulae) dark dots in LM

Rhopalodia
NO
NB. Frustules appear bilaterally symmetrical because both valves are visible at the same time

YES

Nitzschia
Focusing through whole frustules will show the raphe along both sides

Raphes on opposite sites

NO

Hantzschia

Part D
YES
Biraphid diatoms

Gyrosigma
YES YES
Striae very short ventrally

CONTINUED
S-shaped

Amphora

Raphes long on both valves, ends usually close together at the centre of the valve

NO
Valves clearly sigmoid

Eunophora
NOTE: closely related to Eunotia

YES

For whole frustules, in valve view, both valves are visible lying side by side

YES YES
Outer ends of raphe point downwards

Encyonema

NO NO
Valves asymmetrical bilaterally

Valves usually clearly halfmoon shaped, often

NO YES

Central raphe ends bend downwards

Cymbella

NO

Reimeria

Valves more or less elliptical, with a clear swollen area on one side

NO Valves almost NO YES YES


Cells bilaterally symmetrical (or nearly so), but asymmetrical lengthwise A discontinuity visible in the striae, parallel to the valve edge bilaterally symmetrical

Encyonopsis Gomphoneis

YES
Valves very large, usually >100 mm long, triundulate

Didymosphenia

NO

NO CONTINUED in part E

Valve shape and size very variable

Gomphonema

Part E
YES
Biraphid diatoms CONTINUED

Diatomella

YES

Septum across whole valve, 2 or 3 large holes centrally placed

NO
Valves bilaterally symmetrical Septa present (internal projections from the girdle

Septa on each side of the valve, forming chambers (locules)

Mastogloia

YES YES
Outer ends of raphe usually in an arrowhead shape. Striae very fine

Frustulia

NO

Raphe within a thickened band Ornamented valve edges. Central raphe endings often curve in opposite directions

NO YES

Diploneis Neidium
YES

NO

Pinnularia

NO

Striae very thick (many tiny puncta, not visible) A band of clear silica across the centre of the valve

YES
Areolae usually prominent in LM

Stauroneis

NO

YES

Brachysira

NO

Striae form long, irregular lines on the valve face

YES

Sellaphora

NO
More biraphid naviculoid diatoms

Thickened clear areas at each pole

NO

Part F
Biraphid diatoms

YES YES
Striae very regular, areolae often visible. In live material, a pair of lateral chloroplasts Choroplast an xshaped plate

Navicula
YES
Genus features hard to see in LM. ID to species will place in genus

CONTINUED

Placoneis

Raphes long, usually almost meeting at the centre of the valve

Valves often relatively large (>30 mm) typical naviculoid shape

NO

NO NO
Valves very small, narrow, striae barely visible. Raphe straight, outer ends hooked on valve face

Striae fine, but usually visible, with wider spacing at the valve centre. Raphe curves to same side on valve face

YES

Adlafia

YES

Kobayasiella
YES

Diadesmis
YES

NO

Frustules often form chains. Rounded ends. Short parallel striae

Cavinula

NO

Valves often almost round, radial striae, YES outer raphe ends curved in opposite directions Central area oblong, one stigma (hole) to NO one side, large areolae

Luticola

YES

Geissleria
YES
SEM required to see characteristic areolae in some species

NO

Prominent areolae at outer ends

Chamaepinnularia

NO
Many other small naviculoid genera have been described. Often SEM is required to verify their distinguishing features.

Very small forms with prominent striae

NO

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