Craticula

Grunow 1867      Category: Symmetrical biraphid
TYPE SPECIES: Craticula perrotetii Grunow

Craspedostauros

 

Ctenophora

Image Credit: Lauren Fuelling, Pat Kociolek, Sarah Spaulding

CLASS: Bacillariophyceae
  ORDER: Naviculales
    FAMILY: Stauroneidaceae

  1. Striae parallel, or nearly parallel
  2. Valves lanceolate
  3. Central area small or absent
  4. Distinct internal valves may be present

The valves of Craticula are lanceolate. The striae are distinctly parallel, or nearly parallel. The central area is greatly reduced or absenct. The genus is polymorphic, forming different valve morphologies. There are three valve types found for this taxon: vegetative, “heribaudii”, and craticula forms. The three forms are produced as a cellular strategy for surviving conditions such as desiccation (Schmid 1979). Two craticula are formed within the vegetative frustule. Subsequently the “heribaudii” cell is formed within the craticula. The heribaudii cell usually has different ornamentation compared to vegetative cell. Note that these stages are not always present in population, and for many of the smaller species, the craticular and heribaudi stages have not been observed. Living cells possess two elongate, plate-like chloroplasts appressed to the girdle.

Craticula is a term applied to internal valves that are formed within frustules that are normal in morphology. The craticular valves consist of a raphe-sternum and robust transverse bars. The genus Craticula occurs in epipelic habitats across North America, in fresh to brackish waters.

Cite This Page:
Spaulding, S., and Edlund, M. (2008). Craticula. In Diatoms of the United States. Retrieved July 21, 2017, from http://westerndiatoms.colorado.edu/taxa/genus/Craticula

Contributor: Sarah Spaulding | Mark Edlund - December 2008
Reviewer: Sam Rushforth - April 2010