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Asterionella

Asterionella is a long, thin, rod-like araphid diatom.  It has heteropolar ends, meaning that each of its ends is distinctly different and the diatom is asymmetrical on the axis perpendicular to its length. Striae are small and numerous, wrapping around the valve with somewhat irregular spacing.  In processed samples the cells will be individual, but in their natural state they form star-shaped colonies joined at one pole and spiking outward.

A. formosa

  • Cells are 45-68 µm in length.

  • Striae are slightly off-set on each side with respect to the valve center.

  • Small spines may or may not be present.

For more information, visit diatoms.org here.

All images taken and owned by Thomas Shannon, in association with the University of Wisconsin - Madison and the UW-Madison Center for Limnology.

For information on image use, please contact tshannon3@wisc.edu

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