Thalassiosira weissflogii
| Thalassiosira weissflogii | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| (unranked): | SAR |
| Superphylum: | Heterokonta |
| Class: | Coscinodiscophyceae |
| Order: | Thalassiosirales |
| Family: | Thalassiosiraceae |
| Genus: | Thalassiosira |
| Species: | T. weissflogii |
| Binomial name | |
|
Thalassiosira weissflogii (Grunow) G.Fryxell & Hasle, 1977 |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
|
Thalassiosira weissflogii is a species of centric diatoms, a unicellular microalga. It is found in marine environments and also in inland waters in many parts of the world.
rDNA evidence suggests that Thalassiosira weissflogii is a species complex and that several different genetic populations exist. There was found to be a divergence between one clade from the east and west Atlantic Ocean and California and another from Hawaii and Indonesia. The latter was considered to consist of two different biological species, one from Hawaii and one from the Indonesian archipelago.
Thalassiosira weissflogii is a short cylinder in shape and varies in size from 4 to 32 µm in diameter. It tends to be larger in winter, typically 15 µm in diameter, but smaller in summer (5 µm). It occurs both singly and in groups and may be embedded in a gelatinous matrix. There is a silicaceous cell wall with two frustules or valves, a larger epivalve and a smaller hypovalve. The face of the valves vary in shape but are basically irregular rings with one labiate and two or more central processes. Other features that may be present include an irregularly shaped areola or pore, further processes on the rim of the valves, marginal spines, striations and thick radial ribs.
The native range of Thalassiosira weissflogii is unclear, but it is found in marine, brackish and freshwater environments. It seems to grow best at higher salinities and occurs in coastal waters in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and in rivers and lakes in Europe, Asia, South and North America, including the Great Lakes, where it was thought to have been introduced in ballast water.
Thalassiosira weissflogii is non-toxic but it is sometimes associated with other microalgae that cause algal blooms or red tides.
...
Wikipedia