Valves are lanceolate to elliptical-lanceolate, with protracted apices. The raphe is distinct, positioned off center and contained within a canal. Transapical costae are distinct. The striae are punctate. Included in this concept is D. tenuis var. crassula (Naeg. ex Kützing) W. & G.S. West, which appears to represent valves at the lower size range of D. tenuis.
Specimens we have encountered occupy a narrow size range. Patrick and Reimer (1966) give the size range as 6-60 µm long, 3-7 µm broad. Found in alkaline waters across the United States.
Kociolek, P. (2011). Denticula tenuis. In Diatoms of North America. Retrieved September 07, 2024, from https://diatoms.org/species/denticula_tenuis
The 15 response plots show an environmental variable (x axis) against the relative abundance (y axis) of Denticula tenuis 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.