Asterionella A.H. Hassall; 1850; pl.2
Key references
Körner H. 1970. Morphologie und Taxonomie der Diatomeen Gattung Asterionella. Nova Hedwigia. 20: 557-724.
Pappas J.L., Stoermer E.F. 2001. Asterionella Hassall (Heterokontophyta, Bacillariophyceae), taxonomic history and quantitative methods as an aid to valve shape differentiation. Diatom. 17: 47-58.
Morphology
Cells elongate, linear in valve view with expanded spatulate or capitate poles, the basal (attaching) pole wider than the apical pole. Unusually, the poles of the frustules are also expanded in girdle view, which is therefore not rectangular, in contrast to the planktonic species of Tabellaria that (like Asterionella) also form stellate colonies.
Heteropolar, isovalvar, bilaterally symmetrical in valve view.
Striae uniseriate, parallel and perpendicular to the apical axis; areolae small, round, occluded externally. A rimoportula is present near each end. One or both poles with areas of tiny unoccluded round pores (apical pore fields), through which mucilage is secreted. Small conical spines occur along the margin of the valve face and around the pore fields.
Axial area very narrow, no central area.
Several open girdle bands, each with one or two rows of pores. Numerous small, plate-like (discoid) like chloroplasts.
Forming stellate colonies that are freely suspended in the water column. Cells are connected by mucilage pads secreted from the base poles of the cells.
Heteropolar, isovalvar, bilaterally symmetrical in valve view.
Striae uniseriate, parallel and perpendicular to the apical axis; areolae small, round, occluded externally. A rimoportula is present near each end. One or both poles with areas of tiny unoccluded round pores (apical pore fields), through which mucilage is secreted. Small conical spines occur along the margin of the valve face and around the pore fields.
Axial area very narrow, no central area.
Several open girdle bands, each with one or two rows of pores. Numerous small, plate-like (discoid) like chloroplasts.
Forming stellate colonies that are freely suspended in the water column. Cells are connected by mucilage pads secreted from the base poles of the cells.
Literature
References are given in chronological order.
Reference |
Citation |
|---|---|
| Hassall A.H. 1850. The Diatomaceae in the Water Supplied to the inhabitants of London and the suburban districts. A microscopic Examination of the water. Samuel Highley, London. 60; 6 pls. | Description; Taxonomy; Morphology |
| Lund J.W.G. 1949. Studies on Asterionella I. The origin and nature of the cells producing seasonal maxima. Journal of Ecology. 37: 389-419. | Ecology |
| Körner H. 1970. Morphologie und Taxonomie der Diatomeen Gattung Asterionella. Nova Hedwigia. 20: 557-724. | Morphology; Illustrations; Ecology; Taxonomy |
| Round F.E., Crawford R.M., Mann D.G. 1990. The Diatoms. Biology & Morphology of the Genera. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. 747 pp | Morphology; Illustrations |
| Pappas J.L., Stoermer E.F. 2001. Asterionella Hassall (Heterokontophyta, Bacillariophyceae), taxonomic history and quantitative methods as an aid to valve shape differentiation. Diatom. 17: 47-58. | Morphology; Illustrations; |
This page should be cited as:
Mann D. G., Jüttner I. Asterionella A.H. Hassall; 1850; pl.2. In: Jüttner I., Carter C., Cox E.J., Ector L., Jones V., Kelly M.G., Kennedy B., Mann D.G., Turner J. A., Van de Vijver B., Wetzel C.E., Williams D.M..
Freshwater Diatom Flora of Britain and Ireland. Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales. Available online at https://naturalhistory.museumwales.ac.uk/diatoms/browsespecies.php?-recid=4188. [Accessed:
].
Image Gallery
Record last modified: 27/12/2020