Gomphosinica geitleri

(Kociolek and Stoermer) Kociolek et al. 2015      Category: Asymmetrical biraphid
BASIONYM: Gomphoneis geitleri Kociolek and Stoermer 1991

Gomphonema ventricosum

 

Gomphosphenia grovei
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LM scalebar = 10 µm = 80 pixels.

Observations

Contributor: Frank Pickett | Sarah Spaulding - July 2011
Length Range: 12-38 µm
Width Range: 4.5-6.6 µm
Striae in 10 µm: 16-20 near the center valve, 18-20 near the headpole, 16-20 near the footpole

Description

Valves are clavate, with a broadly rounded to subrostrate headpole. The footpole is narrow and rounded. The axial area is narrow. The central area may be transverse or round and contains a single stigma. The raphe is slightly undulate and lateral. Distinct helictoglossae are present near both apices. The striae are radiate near the central area, becoming nearly parallel near the valve ends. One to two striae distal to the helictoglossae are radiate. Some striae near the central area are irregular and shortened. An apical pore field is present at the footpole.

In the SEM, the valve exterior is covered with round areolae, organized into multiseriate striae. The striae are biseriate, to arranged in a quincunx near the axial area. Externally, the proximal raphe ends are straight. At the headpole, the distal raphe fissure is straight; at the footpole, the distal raphe fissure extends over the mantle and bisects the apical pore field. The stigma has a simple, round external opening. The apical pore field is composed of small, round porelli. Internally, a reduced pseudoseptum is present at the headpole. The striae are located in depressed chambers; an axial plate and marginal lamella are both absent. The proximal raphe ends are recurved at the central nodule. The internal expression of the stigma is multichambered. Distally, the raphe terminates at distinct helictoglossae. The apical pore field has depressed chambers.

The specimens presented here represent the range of one population - large initial valves to valves smallest end of the size range.

Original Description

Basionym: Gomphoneis geitleri
Author: Kociolek and Stoermer 1991
Length Range: 17-45 µm
Width Range: 5-8 µm
Striae in 10 µm: 13-16

Original Description

Valves are lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, with a capitate headpole and narrow footpole. The axial area is narrow, with a straight raphe. The central area is variable, orbicular to rectangular, and has a single isolated punctum. Striae number 13-16 in 10 µm and are radiate at the central area, strongly radiate at the footpole and nearly parallel at the headpole. Length 17-45 µm, breadth 5-8 µm.

Original Images

Cite This Page:
Pickett, F., and Spaulding, S. (2011). Gomphosinica geitleri. In Diatoms of the United States. Retrieved July 13, 2017, from http://westerndiatoms.colorado.edu/taxa/species/gomphosinica_geitleri

Species: Gomphosinica geitleri

Contributor: Frank Pickett | Sarah Spaulding

Reviewer: Pat Kociolek

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Image Credit: Frank Pickett, Marina Potapova

  1. Headpole broad, subrostrate
  2. Stigma present
  3. Helictoglossae distinct

Valves are clavate. An isolated stigma is present in the central area, at the end of one stria. The helictoglossae are distinct. Striae are biseriate to arranged in a quincunx, although this feature is not discernible in LM.

Compare

Both Gomphosinica geitleri and Gomphoneis olivaceum possess distinct helictoglossae and a somewhat similar central area, but G. olivaceum lacks a stigma. Gomphosinica glaceriana is very similar in valve size and outline. The valves of G. robusta have a lower length to width ratio. Gomphosinica subtilis is more narrow, 3.5-4.0 µm. Gomphosinica capitata has a distinctly capitate headpole.

Gomphoneis olivaceum

Gomphosinica glaceriana

Kociolek et al.

Gomphosinica robusta

Kociolek et al.

Gomphosinica subtilis

Kociolek et al.

Gomphosinica capitata

Kociolek et al.

Citations

Kociolek, J.P. and Stoermer, E.F. (1991). Taxonomy and ultrastructure of some Gomphonema and Gomphoneis taxa from the Upper Laurentian Great Lakes. Canadian Journal of Botany 69: 1557-1576. 10.1139/b91-200

Kociolek, J.P., You, Q.M., Wang, Q.X. and Liu, Q. (2015). A consideration of some interesting freshwater gomphonemoid diatoms from North America and China, and the description of Gomphosinica gen. nov. Nova Hedwigia Supplement 144: 175-198. 10.1127/nova_supp1/2015/0038

Links & ID's

Index Nominum Algarum (INA)

Original INA

California Academy of Sciences (CAS)

Gomphosinica geitleri CAS

North American Diatom Ecological Database (NADED)

NADED ID: 36018

Autecology Discussion

Cells examined for this study were collected from 17 samples from five sites on Soda Butte Creek, Montana in 1972 and 1973. The stream is high elevation (2290 m.), moderate flow (2.5 cms mean flow), cold (0-10 °C), alkaline (pH 7.5-8.5), soft (26-74 mg/l CaCO3), well oxygenated (8.6-11 mg/l DO), and low to moderate nutrient content (0-0.05 mg/l NO3+NO2 and 0.02-0.06 µm/l PO4). Groundwater running through an abandoned gold and silver mine tailings pile leached reduced (Fe+2) iron into the stream 2.4 km above the sample point. Dilution from a relatively large tributary reduced the concentration of total iron at the sample point to 0.5-5.0 mg/l total Fe.

Images

Confluence of Soda Butte Creek and Woody Creek, Montana, where Gomphosinica geitleri grows in high abundance. Image taken August 2011.

Credit/Source: Frank Pickett

Habits

Size Range

101-1000 µm3 (ie Amphora veneta)

Motility

moderately motile (e.g. Navicula tripunctata)

Attachment

vertical (e.g. stalks)

Habitat

benthic

Colony

EMAP Assessment

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). Over 1200 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

Gomphosinica geitleri

Distribution

The distribution map represents the relative abundance of this Gomphosinica geitleri 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 Gomphosinica geitleri was not recorded, or with a red circle indicating the relative abundance of Gomphosinica geitleri.

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

Gomphosinica geitleri

Responses

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

 

- Transfer from Gomphoneis to Gomphosinica

This page originally appeared on Diatoms of the US as Gomphoneis geitleri Kociolek and Stoermer. In 2015, the genus Gomphonsinica was published. As of this date, the page was revised to show the transfer to Gomphonsinica. - S. Spaulding