Guide to Stenopterobia

The genus Iconella has been resurrected (Ruck et al. 2016) and now includes Stenopterobia and the robustiod species within Surirella and Campylodiscus. SEE THE UPDATE TAB.

The genus Surirella was revised (Ruck et al. 2016) based on phylogenetic relationships (Ruck and Kociolek 2005, Ruck and Theriot 2011, Ruck et al. 2016a, 2016b). In order for nomenclature to align with evolutionary relationships, a genus-level reclassification was published (Ruck et al. 2016). The genus Iconella was resurrected to accommodate Stenopterobia and the "robustoid" taxa Surirella and Campylodiscus. Other changes include that the genus Campylodiscus now includes the "fastuosoid" taxa of Surirella and Campylodiscus. Many of the marine Campylodiscus are now classified within the genus Coronia. The revised Surirella now includes the Surirella striatula clade, the Surirella Pinnatae group, and species formerly classified as Cymatopleura.

Formerly within the circumscription, valves of Stenopterobia are narrow and may be straight or sigmoid in outline. Like other members of the Surirellaceae, the raphe is located within a canal along the valve margin. The canal in Stenopterobia is raised above the valve, onto a keel. Species within Stenopterobia are typically found in low conductivity, nutrient poor, acidic waters. For example, Stenopterobia often dominates the pond habitats of the Carolina Bays, on the Atlantic Coastal Plain.