TAXONOMIC STUDIES OF MARINE GOMPHONEMOID DIATOMS

Abstract

ABSTRACT A comparison of freshwater and marine Gomphonema species has shown that the ecological separation is accompanied by a morphological one. They have only been assigned to the same genus because they all have heteropolar, cuneate cells, which are attached to the substratum by a mucilage pad or stalk. The marine taxa can be split into four clusters, each of which differs from freshwater Gomphonema species on many points of valve and cingulum morphology.