Chaetoceros diadema is a diatom

Diatom

Diatoms are a major group of algae, and are one of the most common types of phytoplankton. Most diatoms are unicellular, although they can exist as colonies in the shape of filaments or ribbons , fans , zigzags , or stellate colonies . Diatoms are producers within the food chain...

 in the genus Chaetoceros

Chaetoceros

Chaetoceros is probably the largest genus of marine planktonic diatoms with approximately 400 species described. Although a large number of these descriptions are no longer valid. It is often very difficult to distinguish between different Chaetoceros species...

. The easiest way to identify this species is by finding the very characteristic diadem-like resting spores.

Species description

Cells united into chains. Very characteristic spores. One chloroplast. Base of setae is short.

Similar species

Chaetoceros constrictus is quite similar in the vegetative stage, but its resting spores are different from C. diadema resting spores .

External links

• Algaebase
• INA card