Diatoms of North AmericaDiatoms of North America

Delicatophycus tundraphilus

(Bahls) Edlund 2024

Cymbopleura Tundraphila Guide
  • Category
    Asymmetric Biraphid
  • Length Range
    20-32 µm
  • Width Range
    4.2-4.9 µm
  • Striae in 10 µm
    17-21 at valve center, up to 28 at the apices
  • Synonyms
    Cymbopleura tundraphila Bahls 2017

Identification

Cymbopleura Tundraphila LM1 Cymbopleura Tundraphila LM2 Cymbopleura Tundraphila LM3 Cymbopleura Tundraphila LM4 Cymbopleura Tundraphila LM5
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Description

Valves are linear-lanceolate and weakly dorsiventral, with rounded apices. The dorsal margin is arched; the ventral margin is nearly flat. The axial area is very narrow. The central area is small and elliptic, or absent. The raphe is weakly lateral with ventrally deflected proximal ends and dorsally deflected terminal ends. The proximal raphe ends are simple and not expanded. Striae are radiate throughout.

Investigation of this taxon in SEM may show that it belongs to the genus Delicatophycus, rather than Cymbopleura. This taxon lacks stigmata and the strongly dorsiventral valves that are characteristic of the genus Cymbella.

Autecology

Cymbopleura tundraphila has been collected from two alkaline (pH 8.17 and 8.30) lakes on the tundra in northern Canada. Both lakes are on the Canadian Shield in the catchment of the Coppermine River. The lakes (photos below) have substrata composed of ferric hydroxide floc, formed when dissolved iron is complexed in the presence of organic matter (peat).

Bloody Falls Tundra Lake
Credit: Beverly Boynton
Bloody Falls Tundra Lake, Nunavut, Canada.
September Mountains Lake
Credit: Beverly Boynton
September Mountains Lake, Nunavut, Canada.

Original Description

Valves are linear-lanceolate and weakly dorsiventral with rounded apices. The dorsal margin is arched; the ventral margin is nearly flat. Valve length 21-32 μm; valve width 4.2-4.9 μm. The axial area is very narrow; the central area is small and elliptic or absent. The raphe is weakly lateral with ventrally deflected proximal ends and dorsally deflected terminal ends. Striae are radiate throughout, 17-21 in 10 μm at the valve center, up to 28 in 10 μm at the apices. [n=10]

  • Author
    Bahls 2017
  • Length Range
    21-32 µm
  • Width
    4.2-4.9 µm
  • Striae in 10µm
    17-21 at valve center, up to 28 at the apices

Original Images

Cymbopleura Tundraphila Origimag

Updates

Mar 18, 2024 - Transfer

From January 1, 2019 to March 18, 2024, this taxon appeared on diatoms.org as Cymbopleura tundraphila Bahls 2017. Following the transfer to Delicatophycus (Edlund et al. 2024), it now appears as D. tundraphilus (Bahls) Edlund 2024.

Cite This Page

Bahls, L. (2018). Delicatophycus tundraphilus. In Diatoms of North America. Retrieved April 27, 2024, from https://diatoms.org/species/delicatophycus-tundraphilus

Responses

The 15 response plots show an environmental variable (x axis) against the relative abundance (y axis) of Delicatophycus tundraphilus 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.