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Sellaphora
Sellaphora is a symmetrical biraphid genus with elongated valves and blunted ends. In many species, polar bars are present at each tip or "pole" of the cell (shown at right). Many species also have a "bowtie" shaped central area.
S. bacillum
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Cells are 30-45 µm in length, 9-10 µm in width.
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Rows of striae per 10 µm are 12-14 near the center, and up to 22 near the tips.
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Valves are distinctly oval-shaped and with rounded ends, relative to other Sellaphora genera.
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Striae are radiate and more widely spaced at the center, becoming more parallel and dense towards the tips.
For more information, visit diatoms.org here.
Polar bar at the tip of a Sellaphora valve.
A5m1 Sellaphora bacillum_edited
A5m1 Sellaphora bacillum 2 (_)_edited
A8m1 Sellaphora bacillum (_)_edited
S. pupula
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Cells are 15-40 µm in length, 7-10 µm in width.
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Rows of striae per 10 µm are 18-26.
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Polar bars are present at both ends.
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S. pupula is an aggregate species name, and contains a variety of subspecies with varying morphology.
For more information, visit craticula.uk here.
A3m3 Sellaphora pupula_edited
A3m1 Sellphora pupula_edited
Unidentified Sellaphora species
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There diatoms do not fit well into any of the available species criteria. Nonetheless, in the interest of documenting all the species of diatoms in Lake Mendota, it is important to include these two unidentified specimens.
For more information on the genus Sellaphora, visit diatoms.org here.
A5m1 Sellaphora sp 1_edited
A3m1 Sellaphora sp_edited
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