Guide to Pulchellophycus

Valves are symmetric to the apical, transapical, and pervalvar axes. The valve face is flat. Valves are linear to linear-lanceolate, with rounded to rostrate apices. The axial area is narrow to broad. The raphe is filiform and proximal raphe ends are closely spaced. Externally, distal raphe ends are unilaterially deflected. Internally, distal raphe ends terminate in small helictoglossae. Striae may not be visible in light microscopy (LM), but are typically compose of irregular, transapically elongate areolae. Intercalary bands are narrow and lack septae. The valve face/mantle interface is sharply bent. The valve mantle is narrow. Distinct alveolae, separated by costae, are present at the valve/mantle interface.

The genus name, Pulchellophycus Edlund and M.J.Wynne 2019, is a replaced designation for "Pulchella", which was an invalid name (Krammer 2000, Edlund and Wynne 2019).

Pulchellophycus is considered to be restricted to low nutrient freshwater (Krasske 1939, 1943, Kulikovskiy et al. 2012, Kociolek et al. 2014).