Diatoms of North AmericaDiatoms of North America

Cymbopleura austriaca

(Grunow) Krammer 2003

Cymbopleura Austriaca Guide
  • Category
    Asymmetric Biraphid
  • Length Range
    54-107 µm
  • Width Range
    14.2-19.6 µm
  • Striae in 10 µm
    center: 9-10 (dorsal), 11-12 (ventral); 13-15 ends

Identification

Cymbopleura anglica LM1 Cymbopleura anglica LM2 Cymbopleura anglica LM3 Cymbopleura anglica LM4 Cymbopleura anglica LM5 Cymbopleura anglica LM6 Cymbopleura anglica LM7
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Description

Valves are dorsiventral and broadly linear-lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate with an arcuate dorsal margin and slightly convex ventral margin. Apices are obtusely rounded. The axial area is ventrally displaced and rather straight and broad, expanding towards a somewhat wider central area and together forming a narrow lanceolate shape running the length of the valve. Raphe branches are strongly lateral but become filiform near the distal ends and strongly reverse-lateral near the proximal ends. Proximal raphe ends are slightly expanded. Terminal raphe fissures are comma-shaped and deflected dorsally. Striae are radiate in the middle and become curved and more strongly radiate towards the apices; in the largest specimens, striae are parallel and wavy near the apices. Striae and areolae are more widely spaced on the dorsal side than on the ventral side. Areolae number 20-26 (dorsal) and 24-28 (ventral) in 10 µm.

Autecology

The preferred habitat for Cymbopleura austriaca is among moss on wet rock walls and in seeps and springs in the mountains. It also shows up occasionally in samples from small streams and lakes. Krammer (2003) reports this taxon from the Alps in waters of moderate electrolyte content.

Mud Lake Bob Marshall Wilderness
Credit: John Pierce
Mud Lake, Bob Marshall Wilderness, Montana: home of Cymbopleura austriaca.

Original Description

Images published in Schmidt et al. 1875 without description.

  • Basionym
    Cymbella austriaca
  • Author
    Grunow in Schmidt et al. 1875

Original Images

Cymbopleura austriaca orig illus
Cymbopleura austriaca orig illus 2

Cite This Page

Bahls, L. (2012). Cymbopleura austriaca. In Diatoms of North America. Retrieved November 21, 2024, from https://diatoms.org/species/cymbopleura_austriaca

Responses

The 15 response plots show an environmental variable (x axis) against the relative abundance (y axis) of Cymbopleura austriaca from all the stream reaches where it was present. Note that the relative abundance scale is the same on each plot. Explanation of each environmental variable and units are as follows:

ELEVATION = stream reach elevation (meters)
STRAHLER = distribution plot of the Strahler Stream Order
SLOPE = stream reach gradient (degrees)
W1_HALL = an index that is a measure of streamside (riparian) human activity that ranges from 0 - 10, with a value of 0 indicating of minimal disturbance to a value of 10 indicating severe disturbance.
PHSTVL = pH measured in a sealed syringe sample (pH units)
log_COND = log concentration of specific conductivity (µS/cm)
log_PTL = log concentration of total phosphorus (µg/L)
log_NO3 = log concentration of nitrate (µeq/L)
log_DOC = log concentration of dissolved organic carbon (mg/L)
log_SIO2 = log concentration of silicon (mg/L)
log_NA = log concentration of sodium (µeq/L)
log_HCO3 = log concentration of the bicarbonate ion (µeq/L)
EMBED = percent of the stream substrate that is embedded by sand and fine sediment
log_TURBIDITY = log of turbidity, a measure of cloudiness of water, in nephelometric turbidity units (NTU).
DISTOT = an index of total human disturbance in the watershed that ranges from 1 - 100, with a value of 0 indicating of minimal disturbance to a value of 100 indicating severe disturbance.