This small, delicate diatom may have been overlooked in surveys of North American waters.
Kraskella manguinii is known from Peru, Columbia and Ecuador and is larger (13-27 µm in length, 2.5-3.1 µm in width, 20-23 striae in 10 µm). In addition, the striae of K. manguinii are parallel.
Further work may show a close relationship to species in the genus Chamaepinnularia, as the striae are composed of a single elongate areola in both genera.
Berkelyeya, a primarily marine genus, includes the species B. rutilans, which has also has a short raphe system and similar striae.