Epithemia reichelti

Fricke in Schmidt et al. 1904      Category: Epithemioid
BASIONYM: Epithemia reicheltii Fricke in Schmidt et al. 1904

Epithemia adnata

 

Epithemia sorex
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LM scalebar = 10 µm = 80 pixels.

Observations

Contributor: Rex Lowe - December 2011
Length Range: 13-41 µm
Width Range: 5.2-9 µm
Striae in 10 µm: 14-15

Description

Valves are dorsiventral. The dorsal margin is strongly convex and the ventral margin is nearly flat to weakly concave, resulting in the valve being triangular in shape. The valve tapers from the center to rounded, undifferentiated ends. The raphe canal lies close to the dorsal margin and is straight, rather than arched. Costae are 3-4 in 10 μm, with 3-6 striae between costae.

Original Description

Basionym: Epithemia reicheltii
Author: Fricke in Schmidt et al. 1904
Length Range: µm
Striae in 10 µm:

Original Description

Original Images

Cite This Page:
Lowe, R. (2011). Epithemia reichelti . In Diatoms of the United States. Retrieved May 21, 2013, from http://westerndiatoms.colorado.edu/taxa/species/epithemia_reicheltii

Species: Epithemia reichelti

Contributor: Rex Lowe

Reviewer: Sarah Spaulding

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Image Credit: Rex Lowe

  1. Valves strongly dorsiventral
  2. Ends rounded
  3. Raphe canal straight
  4. Striae 14-15 in 10 μm

Valves are asymmetric to the apical axis and dorsiventral. The valve ends are rounded. The straight raphe canal lies close to the dorsal margin. Striae number 14-15 in 10 μm and costae number 3-4 in 10 μm.

Compare

Epithemia reicheltii differs from E. adnata and E. turgida by the position of the raphe canal near the dorsal margin. In addition, the valve shape of Epithemia reicheltii is more triangular, and lacks differentiated ends. In contrast, both E. adnata and E. turgida have rostrate to subcapitate ends.

Epithemia adnata

Epithemia turgida

Citations

Schmidt, A. (-). (1874-1959). Atlas der Diatomaceen-Kunde, von Adolf Schmidt, continued by Martin Schmidt, Friedrich Fricke, Heinrich Heiden, Otto Muller, Friedrich Hustedt. Reprint 1984, Koeltz Scientific Books, Konigstein, 480 plates.

Links & ID's

Index Nominum Algarum (INA)

Original INA

California Academy of Sciences (CAS)

Epithemia reicheltii CAS

North American Diatom Ecological Database (NADED)

NADED ID: 32010

Autecology Discussion

This taxon is more common in calcium-rich, nitrogen-poor habitats and possesses endosymbiotic nitrogen-fixing cyanobactetria.

Habits

Size Range

1001-10,000 µm3 (ie Diatoma vulgaris)

Motility

moderately motile (e.g. Navicula tripunctata)

Attachment

unattached

Habitat

benthic

Colony

solitary

EMAP Assessment

Sampling for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) western Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) study was completed during the years 2000-2004 (see citations at bottom of this page). Streams and rivers in 12 western states (Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington and Wyoming). Over 1200 sites on streams and rivers in 12 western states (Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington and Wyoming) were selected for sampling based on a stratified randomized design. This type of design insures that ecological resources are sampled in proportion to their actual geographical presence. Stratified randomized design also allows for estimates of stream length with a known confidence in several “condition classes” (good or least-disturbed, intermediately-disturbed, and poor or most-disturbed) for biotic condition, chemistry and habitat.

EMAP Distribution

Epithemia reicheltii

Distribution

The distribution map represents the relative abundance of this Epithemia reicheltii in the western EMAP study. Relative abundance is a measure of the proportion of cells of this species based on a "fixed count" of 300 total diatom cells counted and identified. Each of the western EMAP sample sites is shown, either with a black dot for sites where Epithemia reicheltii was not recorded, or with a red circle indicating the relative abundance of Epithemia reicheltii.

Note that the size of the proportional symbols varies between species to help show both abundant and rare species.

Scale for the map to the left

EMAP Response Plots

Epithemia reicheltii

Responses

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

EMAP citations

Results are published in:

Johnson, T., Hermann, K., Spaulding, S., Beyea, B., Theel, C., Sada, R., Bollman, W., Bowman, J., Larsen, A., Vining, K., Ostermiller, J., Petersen, D. Hargett, E. and Zumberge, J. (2009). An ecological assessment of USEPA Region 8 streams and rivers. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 8 Report, 178 p.

Stoddard, J. L., Peck, D. V., Olsen, A. R., Larsen, D. P., Van Sickle, J., Hawkins, C. P., Hughes, R. M., Whittier, T. R., Lomnicky, G. A., Herlihy, A. T., Kaufman, P. R., Peterson, S. A., Ringold, P. L., Paulsen, S. G., and Blair, R. (2005). Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) western streams and rivers statistical summary. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Report 620/R-05/006, 1,762 p.

Stoddard, J. L., Peck, D. V., Paulsen, S. G., Van Sickle, J., Hawkins, C. P., Herlihy, A. T., Hughes, R. M., Kaufman, P. R., Larsen, D. P., Lomnicky, G. A., Olsen, A. R., Peterson, S. A., Ringold, P. L., and Whittier, T. R. (2005). An ecological assessment of western streams and rivers. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Report 620/R-05/005, 49 p.