Diatoms of North AmericaDiatoms of North America
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Compare Punctastriata mimetica

E.Morales 2005

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Punctastriata mimetica could be confused with a number of taxa, including P. lancettula, P. linearis, P. ovalis and Staurosirella pinnata.

Note that P. mimetica may not be distinguished from P. lancettula or Staurosirella pinnata using LM. Although P. lancettula is commonly reported in surveys of US rivers, specimens have not been verified from North America.

Punctastriata linearis possesses small spines, which may be located either on the costae or interrupting the striae. Punctastriata ovalis possesses spines that interrupt the striae. Both P. linearis and P. ovalis have elliptical striae, whose terminations at the central sternum or valve mantle are not as acute as those of P. mimetica.

LM scalebar = 10 µm
Ansp Gc101196 5 Ansp Gc101196 2 Ansp Gc101196 4 Ansp Gc101196 6 Ansp Gc101196 7
Length Range
7–22.5 µm
Width Range
5–7 µm
Striae in 10 µm
9–11

Staurosirella pinnata

(Ehrenb.) D.M.Williams and Round 1987

Staurosirella pinnata LM2 Staurosirella pinnata LM1 Staurosirella pinnata LM3 Staurosirella pinnata LM4 Staurosirella pinnata LM5
Length Range
4-10 µm
Width Range
3-4 µm
Striae in 10 µm
11-14

Staurosira construens

Ehrenb. 1843

Staurosira construens LM4 Staurosira construens LM1 Staurosira construens LM6 Staurosira construens LM3 Staurosira construens LM2 Staurosira construens LM5
Length Range
6-15 µm
Width Range
5-9 µm
Striae in 10 µm
14-16

Also compare to

Punctastriata lancettula

(Schum.) Hamilton and Siver

Punctastriata linearis

D.M.Williams and Round

Punctastriata ovalis

D.M.Williams and Round