Diatoms of North AmericaDiatoms of North America
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Compare Pseudostaurosira neoelliptica

(Witkowski) E.Morales 2000

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Pseudostauirosira neoelliptica should be compared with P. ellipitica, P. brevistrata and Staurosira construens var. venter. Note that smaller specimens of these taxa may not be distinguishable in LM. Pseudostaurosira elliptica has short striae, usually composed of one round areola on the valve face and another on the valve mantle. Pseudostaurosira brevistriata has wide, round to oval, areolae. The spines are solid, spatulate and positioned in line with the striae. The striae of S. construens var. venter extend further from the valve margin toward the sternum than in P. neoelliptica. In addition, the striae of S. construens var. venter are composed of lineolae rather than round areolae, as in P. neoelliptica.

LM scalebar = 10 µm
Pseudostaurosira neoelliptica LM1 Pseudostaurosira neoelliptica LM4 Pseudostaurosira neoelliptica LM5 Pseudostaurosira neoelliptica LM3 Pseudostaurosira neoelliptica LM2
Length Range
10-14 µm
Width Range
3-4 µm
Striae in 10 µm
12-15

Pseudostaurosira brevistriata

(Grunow) D.M.Williams and Round 1987

Pseudostaurosira brevistriata LM3 Pseudostaurosira brevistriata LM4 Pseudostaurosira brevistriata LM1 Pseudostaurosira brevistriata LM2 Pseudostaurosira brevistriata LM5
Length Range
10-26 µm
Width Range
3.5-4 µm
Striae in 10 µm
12-15

Pseudostaurosira elliptica

(Schum.) Edlund, E.Morales and S.A.Spauld. 2006

Pseudostaurosira elliptica LM5 Pseudostaurosira elliptica LM1 Pseudostaurosira elliptica LM3 Pseudostaurosira elliptica LM2 Pseudostaurosira elliptica LM6 Pseudostaurosira elliptica LM4
Length Range
6-14 µm
Width Range
3-3.5 µm
Striae in 10 µm
14-16

Staurosira construens var. venter

(Ehrenb.) P.B.Ham. 1992

Staurosira construens var venter LM3 Staurosira construens var venter LM1 Staurosira construens var venter LM5 Staurosira construens var venter LM2 Staurosira construens var venter LM4
Length Range
5-26 µm
Width Range
4-5.5 µm
Striae in 10 µm
12-16