Amphora pediculus

Valves moderately dorsiventral, semi-elliptical becoming semi-circular in small taxa. Dorsal margin arched, ventral margin straight to slightly concave. Valve ends rounded, sometimes with a slight ventral deflection. Axial area very narrow with the raphe ledge poorly developed. Raphe straight with proximal raphe ends straight and distal raphe ends dorsally deflected. Dorsal and ventral fascia distinct and extending to valve margins. Dorsal striae parallel in central area, becoming weakly radiate at the apices. Dorsal striae distinctly punctate with 2-3 rows of areolae near the central area. Ventral striae composed of a single row of areolae, radiate near the central area, becoming convergent at the apices.

Schoeman and Archibald (1978) in an examination of A. perpusilla based on slide BM 26315 concluded that A. perpusilla was identical to their concept of A. pediculus (the concept adopted here), and therefore will be considered synonyms. Due to their small size the light microscope may be inadequate to describe the diversity of this group, further revision is probably needed (see Lee & Round (1989), Krammer (1980) and Schoeman & Archibald (1978) for a more thorough discussion).