Nitzschia acidoclinata | Species - Diatoms of North America

Category

Nitzschioid
Length Range

18.4-32.8 µm
Width Range

2.2-2.9 µm
Striae in 10 µm

31-33

Reported As

Nitzschia frustulum var. perminuta (Grunow in Van Heurck 1881)

Contributor

Loren Bahls - Jul 2016
Reviewer

Marina Potapova - May 2017

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Identification

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Description

Valves are linear, with largely parallel margins. In some specimens, the valve margins may be be slightly concave. Apices are rostrate to subcapitate. The raphe is positioned on an eccentric keel. Fibulae number 11-14 in 10 µm. On most valves. the two median fibulae are more widely spaced, creating a the appearance of a "central nodule". Striae are parallel and composed of indistinct areolae.

Autecology

This species prefers circumneutral to slightly acidic waters with low conductivity and low nutrient levels. The specimens pictured on this web page are from a stream and a fen in northwestern Montana. At the time of sampling, the stream (Fish Creek, Flathead County) had a pH of 6.83, conductivity of 17 µS/cm, and total phosphorus concentration of 0.02 mg/L. The fen (Johns Fen, Glacier National Park) had a pH of 6.02 and a conductivity of 58 µS/cm. Krammer and Lange-Bertalot (1988) report this species as widespread in oligosaprobic, electrolyte-poor waters.

Size Range, µm3

101-1000
Motility

Moderately motile
Attachment

Unattached
Habitat

Benthic
Colony

Solitary
Occurrence

Rare
Waterbody

Inland Rivers
Distribution

Western rivers 2004 California coastal rivers 2017
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Original Description

Valves linear (small forms elliptic-lanceolate) with cuneate ends and rounded or protracted to capitate apices, 8-40 µm long, 2-3 µm wide. Transapical striae 27-32 in 10 µm. Keel very eccentric, fibulae 11-14 in 10 µm, the two median ones farther apart.

Author

Lange-Bert. 1977
Length Range

8-40 µm
Width

2-3 µm
Striae in 10µm

27-32

Original Images

Citations & Links

Citations

Cite This Page

Bahls, L. (2016). Nitzschia acidoclinata. In Diatoms of North America. Retrieved December 26, 2024, from https://diatoms.org/species/51697/nitzschia_acidoclinata

Responses

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