Diatoms of North AmericaDiatoms of North America

Denticula tenuis

Kütz. 1844

Denticula Tenuis Guide
  • Category
    Nitzschioid
  • Length Range
    12-20 µm
  • Width Range
    4 µm
  • Striae in 10 µm
    22-28

Identification

Denticula Tenuis 002 Denticula Tenuis 002B Denticula Tenuis 005B Denticula Tenuis 001 Denticula Tenuis 003 Denticula Tenuis 005 Denticula Tenuis 004
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Description

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.

Original Description

  1. DENTICULA TENUIS. Taf. 17. Fig. VIII. 420/1 D. anguste linearis, margine subtiliter punctata, latere secundario subtiliter striato, anguste lan¬ceolato ; striis transversalibus in 1/100"' Parte 10-11. Bacillaria palea Nitzsch. Taf. 3. Fig. 3.? Unter Conferven und andern Diatomeen in fliessenden und stehenden Wassergräben bei Nordhausen ! theils einzeln, theils in grössern Haufen beisammen. - Länge bis 1/90‘‘‘. Anmerk. Diese Form hat so grosse Aehnlichkeit mit den einzelnen Gliedern des Diatoma tenue (Taf. 17. Fig. X.), dass ich sie anfangs von diesen nicht verschieden gehalten habe. Später fand ich dieselbe aber sehr häufig immer wieder in diesem losen Zustande, lebend und in Bewegung, wie die Naviculae, und dies hat mich veranlasst, sie hier als besondere Art aufzuführen.
  • Basionym
    Denticula tenuis
  • Author
    Kütz. 1844

Original Images

Denticula tenuis orig illus
Denticula Tenuis Descr

Cite This Page

Kociolek, P. (2011). Denticula tenuis. In Diatoms of North America. Retrieved October 30, 2024, from https://diatoms.org/species/denticula_tenuis

Responses

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.