Diatom Pleurosigma formosum, darkfield photomicrograph
Pleurosigma angulatum () Diatoms are algae with distinctive, transparent cell walls made of silicon dioxide hydrated with a small amount of water. Silica is the main component of glass and hydrated silica is very like the mineral opal, making these algae, often called "algae in glass houses" more like "algae in opal houses". The cell wall is called a frustule and consists of two halves called valves. Since silica is impervious, diatoms have evolved elaborate patterns of perforations in their valves to allow nutrient and waste exchange with the environment. These valve patterns can be quite beautiful and are also helpful for classifying diatoms. Diatoms grow as single cells or form filaments and simple colonies.
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Photo credit: © Scenics & Science / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
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Keywords: algae, biodiversity, condenser, darkfield, diatom, formosum, heine, marine, micrograph, microscope, pelagic, photomicrograph, phyto, phytosynthetic, plankton, pleurosigma
